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What is the worst dealer behavior that you've observed?

aldo98229

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I am currently in the midst of negotiations. The online back and forth is much easier.
I've noticed when you ask for the 'out the door' price, they reply with, "when can I make an appointment for you to come test drive the vehicle."
Listen, dealerships, I have had too many vehicles in my life to show up and be a giddy teenage girl during a test drive. I want to see in black and white itemized costs. I have financing in place, what is the final price tag.
Then, I will drop this Wrangler off and go back and forth on the trade-in.
Should be an exciting weekend.
Thatā€™s an old school sales technique: bring ā€˜em in and roll ā€˜em out.

But the Internet has changed forever how we buy new vehicles.

Some dealers are still in denial.
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nostatic

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Thatā€™s an old school sales technique: bring ā€˜em in and roll ā€˜em out.

But the Internet has changed forever how we buy new vehicles.

Some dealers are still in denial.
When they show you a print out of a fax of an email you sent, best to turn around and leave.
 

sf5211

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Years ago I was looking into a new 86 Mustang. Some dealer who I don't know walks up to me and says "how's your father?". I was so tempted to say "he's dead" but I didn't wan't to jinx my dad. I remember being turned off by that question. Don't act like you know me to get a sale.
Unless maybe he thought I was someone else. Then it's understandable.
 

Rogueman_1

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Rydell Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in San Fernando, California. Confirmed with me a Jeep was in stock and available, I go the following day to purchase the Jeep, sorry... it's already sold "didn't they tell you that on the phone?"

Umm nope. Thanks for nothing ya worthless bastards. Bought my JL the same day at another dealer.

That's the condensed version. There's a thread somewhere.
 

Chance_P

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I dropped my jeep off to have the soft top replaced under warranty.... They called me 9 hours later and told me they couldn't find the new top so they would have to order another one in and I could come pick up my jeep. This was 15 minutes before they closed, and it was the SECOND time they were attempting to replace the top. The first time they had it for 8 hours before calling me and telling me they couldn't figure out how to replace it.



I also got into a shouting match with their lube tech who refused to admit that they over filled my jeep with oil (6qt instead of 5). Glad I don't live near that place anymore.
 

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overcrawler

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By far the worst dealer experience ever was Los Angeles CDJR.

They claimed they couldnā€™t do an oil change and an air filter and cabin filter replacement because their scan tool wouldnā€™t work due to my winch being wired to the battery. This aftermarket mod would require them to do 6 hours of diagnoses and charge me an $800 diagnostic fee.

When I called them on their scam, and the fact that the OBD and CanBus have nothing to do with the winch wiring, and worse nothing to do with an oil change, they basically flipped out.

I had the owner call me, who is quite possible the biggest piece of shit in the entire car industry and instead of apologize, cursed me out and hung up.

I thought it was a prank until I called the dealership to confirm that the animal who called me was actually the owner.

I would have knocked his teeth down his throat if he spoke to me like that in person.

Chrysler should pull their dealer license.

While on-site, I watched them try to scam two other people who know less about vehicles than I do. The two people stopped me on the way out and thanked me because they quickly realized after my conversation that they were being scammed.

I actually had a conversation with the service manager where he insisted that Jeeps donā€™t have cabin filters since theyā€™re offroad vehicles. I explained he may want to look behind the glove box. I also asked him to explain how a power wire to the battery could be the cause of an issue in the CANBUS or OBD2... he couldnā€™t address that.
 

ToPar9

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Thatā€™s an old school sales technique: bring ā€˜em in and roll ā€˜em out.

But the Internet has changed forever how we buy new vehicles.

Some dealers are still in denial.
I have gone through every possible car buying program as well. Banks, Costco, Etc..
I just keep emailing them questions. If they reply with a coherent answer, they might want to sell a car.
Said it before, Iā€™m not a giddy little girl.
I could test drive a Lamborghini or Ferrari and they could say itā€™s half off, Iā€™m not going to buy it.
Let me see the numbers!
 

mrbsharkey

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Seeing a lot of complaints about Los Angeles area dealerships, and I thought I'd pile on. This one just happened moments ago at Russel Westbrook Jeep in Van Nuys. They have a 2020 Rubicon listed for $55k. I had inquired about it a few weeks ago and was told over the phone it had been sold. A few weeks later and I'm still seeing it on their site, so I wrote in again. This time they said it's still on the lot.

We started texting back and forth and out of nowhere I get:

"1228 a month for 72 months. Can you take delivery today?"

Quick math, that's over $88k. I respond that I was hoping to get in around $50k, and they shoot back, "you're just throwing out random numbers."

I'M JUST THROWING OUT RANDOM NUMBERS?! You just asked me to pay nearly $90k for a Wrangler!

Who falls for this crap?
 

Kyanche

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"1228 a month for 72 months. Can you take delivery today?"

Quick math, that's over $88k. I respond that I was hoping to get in around $50k, and they shoot back, "you're just throwing out random numbers."
You can insert a long string of bad words here because that's what I'm thinking. What the hell kinda crack were they smoking to think they'd get $88k for a wrangler?! The damn things are a ripoff at $50k nevermind 80 lol.
 

mrbsharkey

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You can insert a long string of bad words here because that's what I'm thinking. What the hell kinda crack were they smoking to think they'd get $88k for a wrangler?! The damn things are a ripoff at $50k nevermind 80 lol.
Seriously, is there no way to get a Wrangler for below MSRP in Los Angeles? I know there are a lot of people here with more money than sense, but the dealers have to move the units right? It's the end of the model year and they're sitting on inventory that hasn't moved in months (I know I've been watching and waiting for a sale).

Dealers act like it's preposterous for anything less than MSRP and typically ask for much more. When I make a reasonable offer they won't even return my messages or claim the jeep I want has sold. Sure enough weeks later a different salesperson says the exact same vin # is still in stock. My previous Wrangler purchase in LA was a nightmare as well. Is it the same nationwide?
 

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overcrawler

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Seriously, is there no way to get a Wrangler for below MSRP in Los Angeles? I know there are a lot of people here with more money than sense, but the dealers have to move the units right? It's the end of the model year and they're sitting on inventory that hasn't moved in months (I know I've been watching and waiting for a sale).

Dealers act like it's preposterous for anything less than MSRP and typically ask for much more. When I make a reasonable offer they won't even return my messages or claim the jeep I want has sold. Sure enough weeks later a different salesperson says the exact same vin # is still in stock. My previous Wrangler purchase in LA was a nightmare as well. Is it the same nationwide?
I went to Nevada for mine. Even in the face of a written deal the LA dealers were out of their minds.
 

Kyanche

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Seriously, is there no way to get a Wrangler for below MSRP in Los Angeles?
I'm not sure about today. When I bought mine a year ago, I received an offer of 3% under invoice from long beach and 5% under invoice from rob (a salesperson known here on the forum. Last I heard he was offering 4% under invoice at another dealer).

You might have some luck trying to call and find the fleet manager or whatever the heck they call it. They're all names for different sales people? The "internet sales" email almost always just forwards to someone that isn't able to do anything amazing. Having an affiliate membership like tread lightly is the easiest way to get 1% off invoice though.

So yeah, I think it's definitely possible to get at least 1% below invoice at some dealers in LA. It's just hard - and harder to go beyond that.
 

mrbsharkey

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I'm not sure about today. When I bought mine a year ago, I received an offer of 3% under invoice from long beach and 5% under invoice from rob (a salesperson known here on the forum. Last I heard he was offering 4% under invoice at another dealer).

You might have some luck trying to call and find the fleet manager or whatever the heck they call it. They're all names for different sales people? The "internet sales" email almost always just forwards to someone that isn't able to do anything amazing. Having an affiliate membership like tread lightly is the easiest way to get 1% off invoice though.

So yeah, I think it's definitely possible to get at least 1% below invoice at some dealers in LA. It's just hard - and harder to go beyond that.

Ahh okay thanks for the reply. This makes me feel less crazy looking for a good deal. I'll give this advice a shot.
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