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Comments
#1556despite what people in California think, there are 49 other states who would prefer not to be compared with such a screwed up state filled with screwed up people.
Audi, I find it remarkable that first you chide Chuck for making blanket statements, and, in the same breath, categorize an entire state as "screwed up".
Let's see...
The appropriate thing to say would have been...
"My personal experience, about inhabitants of CA, has not been good. I have only dealt with stereotypical Californians"....not a blanket statement like all Californians are screwed up.
2)"I make $60,000 a year, and I've been on the job 8 years.."
3) "Oh, that collection? I paid it - the bureau is wrong..."
4) "Bad check? It's the bank's fault..."
Of all the statements above, only statement #3 can be plausible. I have seen instances myself were credit bureaus had bad information. Driftracer, since all of the above information can be obtained by someone doing an inquiry, some people have to be idiots to think they can lie. I will take your word that the above happens. Me, I have a FICO that puts me in a position where I don't even think about lyling!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I have been doing this for a few years, since when has holdback ever been a profit center or even close to it.? .. maybe thats why (to use your statement again) ** I go from one dealer to the next until one accepts my "offer" ** ~ maybe thats why it takes you that 100 mile drive to find out you can't buy that vehicle for that price ....
Just like my Great Grand Daddy use to say: "Common sense just isn't common" ...l.o.l....................
Terry.
Dealers around Dallas have begun having "Half Off Sales". They advertise, for example, a new 2004 Camry for $11,422. The thing is, it's a lease, or a balloon, and you end up with a substantial payment at the end, or you can turn it in and pay damages and mileage penalties. The leases are for 12,000 miles a year, I drive that much in 2 months. Dallas is a high mileage area, most people drive 16-20K a year or more. The cost of a higher mileage lease wouldn't have such an attractive baiting price, though.
Second is what I call the "Ridiculous Payment" sales. This is, say, a $37,000 2004 Suburban for $189 a month. Sure, $189 a month for the first 3 months, then bumped up to $659 a month for the duration of the lease/purchase.
Third is the "Magic Trade-In" where a dealer offers $3000 or $5000 for a trade-in and then shows pictures of cars being smashed and set on fire, etc. This is usually a Kia dealer, but some others do it, too. The thing is, they keep the rebates, which are sometimes more than the trade-in value and you're paying over MSRP before you can say, "upside down". Works fine for people with 3-5K in negative equity, but then they end up paying full list for a car that will depreciate faster. Best to use this deal only if you're ALREADY driving a Kia.
Fourth and final is the "hidden" down payment or trade. This I saw up in Indianapolis and Columbus a few months back. They offer a great sale price, like a new Cavalier coupe (MSRP $10,700) for $7495. Then in fine print, they say "after $3000 down payment or trade equity" Bait and Switch, you think you're getting a $7500 Cavalier, but you have to part with your paid-for '99 Cavalier first.
And my parents wonder why I only buy cheap cars from auctions, small dealers, and private owners.
I think what happens is dealers will use them until the "action" runs out and they try something different, kinda like furniture and computer stores, 6 months same as cash - no payments for 24 months - no interest for 60 months .l.o.l.... whatever it takes to spur the business ..........
Terry.
I drove another Blazer on the day I was at the dealership (the one I was interested in wouldn't start). We then sat down, and after some intial dancing, I offered an out-the-door price of $22,500 (assigning the rebate to the dealer). They surprised me with a counter-offer of $21,900 if I would decide right then. I told the salse guy that if the offer was good on Saturday, it would be good on Monday, and asked for an email/fax confirmation of the deal. Yesterday (Thursday) I received a fax, and they threw an extra thousand in on a line called "Partial Payment" where the $5000 rebate was listed. This extra charge allowed them to control the out-the-door price (after they added in a mystery charge of $7.50 on a blank line on their offer sheet).
If they were going to do all that, why not offer the vehicle for free, with a few minor tweaks to the "Partial Payment" section!
I've sent them an email offering to tell them exactly what I think of their practices.
Steven
If you had purchased the car when it was offered to you for $21,900 none of this other stuff would have come up? Why didn't you take advantage of the offer right then? Seems to me there is more tot his story or you made an offer that you were not willing to back up. The way I see it, and you can claify for us with more details, you were only threating to buy...otherwise you would have jumped at his counter offer..since it was $600 less than your offer.
what am I missing?
However, it doesn't say they are all at that particular store. That store may have one, and another store in a different state may have another. Clearly, that justifies the use of the plural. QED
Here is another wacky justification by someone who has to be in the business. How do I know? No consumer would possibly have a thought process like this. No one expects this kind of deceit. Again, used mainly to catch unsuspecting buyers.........
(laughing inside)
I will agree with you halfway on this one. The "screamer ads" will work on people who are naive and unsuspecting. The rest of us (most people) know there is no such thing as a free lunch. This type of advertising just perpetuates the typical negative reputation that the car business has been known for.
and youd be surprised how many people respond to the screamer ads. these dealers still sell lots of cars, even with treating people badly. wonder why...
Well, I think you just made my point about the reputation being deserved!
Give me a break, chuck.
Sure, there are bad salespeople out there, no doubt - it's easier, though, to group them all together to make up a scenario to make you feel better about a lousy car buying experience that you brought on yourself.
I've seen it hundreds of times - the guy comes home from the dealer with his OLD car and his neighbor says "I thought you were buying a new car today?". The "buyer", not being honest that his credit was tanked and he was flipped in his trade and had no money to put down, says "those [non-permissible content removed] car guys - they tried to steal my trade! They wanted to give me 7 grand less than it was worth".
Never mind that the guy can't figure out that what you owe and what the car's worth have nothing to do with each other. The neighbor sides with the "buyer" and the bad guy car salesman legend continues...
Give me a break, chuck. As long as we have consumers who put themselves in that (those) position(s), we'll continue the urban legend of the leisure suit-wearing, bad haircut having, white shoe sportin', 1970's era lying, cheatin' salesman. I think you've been watching too much TV.
This chuck guy wants to paint everyone with a broad stroke, and that's no only showing prejudice, it's very narrow-minded. It's just like saying all cops eat donuts - that's stupid, and comes from comedian's jokes and TV shows.
There are a few pudgy officers who actually know when the fresh batch at Krispy Kreme is finished, but I'd say that 95% of all cops, knowing the physical requirments of their jobs, stay away from donuts because they'll have to pay for it in the gym or running on the street.
I think buying TVs is different. We are very ignorant about TVs, but we got one recently at Circuit City for about $700, and it seems very nice to us. I doubt that more knowledgable buyers would have gotten a much beter deal.
You, and many others, probably wish that buying a car would be as simple as buying a TV. I can understand that.
On the other hand, many of us like car-buying just like it is and we don't want to see any changes. We have adapted our behavior to suit reality, just like our ancestors did to avoid being wiped out like the dinosaurs were.
I returned two days later and the Outback had been cleaned and detailed etc... I told him it looked good and was prepared to make another offer. He said they'd appraise my Jetta for trade-in, then we could negotiate form there. He came back saying they could only pay $8200 for the Jetta cause it needed tires.
So, my question is, when KBB says a 4 year old car, with 37,000 miles on it is worth $8800, doesn't that assume worn tires?
I don't understand the $600 difference, though - if your car needed tires the second time you were there, it needed tires the first time you were there....
Unless you didn't bring the car the first time...
Ultimately though, whatever the dealer says, they're most likely going to be wholesaling your car, so if KBB is way above wholesale they'll "give" you KBB on your trade but then pump up the sales price to cover it. Check with Terry on the Real World Trade-in Values thread to see what your Jetta is really worth.
But seriously, the tires appear to have at least 10K miles left on them. And otherwise, the car is in spectacular condition. And the $8800 is based on KBB's 'good' rating.
I just feel like they're trying to hit me for another $600 just because they can. If the Jetta is realistically only worth $8200 in trade, maybe I'll just go back and do the deal.
I am having a hard time with $800 for this "wonderful" package.
Sealing the paint is pointless and can actually hurt the car - my volvo owners guide tells me not to even polish the car (wax is ok though) for the first year so the paint can harden properly. Scotchguard in a can works ok too, just tell your kids to be careful
IT SEEMS IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL IN THE F&I OFFICE!
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
Interior Guard $89.95
- Leather and Vinyl Treatment
- Front and Rear Vacuum
- Fabric Sealant
Paint Protector $89.95
- Hand Wash
- Chamois Dry
- Apply Paint Seal
I don’t know if this worth the money, but it sure is a lot cheaper than $800 your dealer is pushing these services for.
I think a man who would pay someone to wash his precious car is the kind of man who would pay to have his wife artificially inseminated because his time is too valuable.
So my advice is to take care of your car by yourself and use the money you save to take your wife out to dinner. Anyone disagree?
Call your salesperson and share your concerns.
Obviously since you ordered the car you don't have an immediate pressing need for it. So if something is wrong with the options, don't buy and just re-order - either from this dealer or another one. It's certainly not something you should be losing sleep over.
Is this trickery by the dealer? When I talked to the salesman, he stated that "I am in danger of losing the low finance rate since they cannot send the contract to the financer until this is resolved."
Also, what are the legal ramifications? Am I legally obliged to redo the contract?
Would you want the contract redone if the price was OVER the negotiated price hmmm.?
Terry.
From your lips to God's ear, you said: *When the contract was printed, the dealer put the sale price at $2k under the negotiated price. When I singed the contract I did not notice that it was for less money*
You didn't notice the figures, fine, it was a mistake .. but the question still is: Would You want them to change the contract if they had made a $2,000 mistake Not in your favor ..?!?
** Is this trickery by the dealer? ** .... your kidding right.? ... you owe the dealer, the dealer doesn't "owe" you .l.o.l.. .... I would stay in good terms, because they have a written contract that will show the correct figures, it could get very ugly for your side ..
Terry.
he didnt GET a better deal. it was a mistake. if you really feel that way, then you are less scrupulous than the worst dealers.