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I have never sold cars but I have friends that have so I have heard all the stories......
I used to work in IT at a chain of large dealerships and have been privy to a lot of situations. One that sticks with me was at our Infiniti dealership. It was across the road from the BMW place. At that time, BMW had a lease deal on their base 3-series - $2000 down, $299 per month for 36 months.
So this couple comes in looking to test drive a G35. The drive goes fine and they sit down to discuss the deal.
Salesman: Are you looking to buy or lease?
Couple: Lease.
S: Any trade?
C: No.
S: Down payment?
C: $1000.
S: OK. I'll be back with the numbers.
So he goes off and comes back with the standard $200 over invoice, 2.9% deal.
S: So that works out at $545 per month over 60 months........
C: What! We can get a BMW for $299!
S: So you're interested in a lease?
C: No. We want to buy it at $299 per month and we want the loan for 36 months, not 60.
S: That would be around $12,000. The car costs $31,000. How will that work?
C: I don't care. The BMW costs $299. We want this car for $299.
S: Fine. I can get you the lease figures.
C: Are you stupid?! We want to BUY it! (by this time the male partner was shouting).
S: Sorry. I can't help you. Good luck.
They stormed out, yelling at anyone within ear shot that the dealership was trying to rip them off. I went across the road later to see a friend who worked at the BMW dealer. Yes, they'd come in, complained about the Infiniti place trying to rip them off and went through the same routine at BMW.
I was once with my friend, an African-American, to a Mercury dealership. He was looking to buy the car, not me. Salesman came out,walked right past him, and started asking me what I was looking for. I was dumbstruck. He didn't even acknowledge my friend. We were both in our 20, dressed the same,and he was actually looking at a car.I couldn't believe that would happen in 1991 in suburban New Jersey. Same thing happened to us in an electronics store. For clarification, I am white.
This is a little different from some of the other problems I've read. But this was a wake up for me.
There was once a Nissan dealer in El Paso in 1985 that was notorious for ripping people off. It was even put off limits to GIs stationed at the local army post. On the 4th of July, 1985 they put an ad in the newspaper advertising a new 1985 Nissan Sentra for $5199. The ad also read $149 down would give payments of $149 a month. I wanted a white car because it is so hot in El Paso, and light colors stay cooler. I went to the dealership fully expecting them to tell me that the advertised car had just been sold, and they would try to upsell me to another one. Well, to my surprise they told me that car was still there. They pointed it out to me, and it was red in color. I am not a fan of red cars, but for that price I could stand it. I wanted to test drive it, and the salesman wanted me to test drive an upmarket demo with a/c because it is HOT on the 4th of July in El Paso. I wanted to test drive the car I was going to buy because I was unsure if I could stand the heat if I did buy it. He reluctantly let me drive it. I liked it, and said I wanted it, but that I had $2000 down, and I wanted to know what the payments would be. He asked me what I would like the payments to be. I told him it didn't matter, but I just wanted a number. I knew if I only put $149 down the payments would be $149, but if I put $2000 down they should be considerably less. He asked again what I thought they should be. I told him it didn't matter what I thought, but if I had a choice I would be happy with $0 a month. He asked me again what I thought it should be, and I YELLED that it didn't matter. The car was $5199. I was going to put $2000 down. That would mean that the amount financed would be $3199 plus tax, and I wanted to know what that number would be! He asked me to try to guess it. I almost lost my mind by that time, and yelled that I was leaving. He begged me to stay, and said he's talk with the finance man.
He came back with a smile on his face and said the payment would be $139 a month. I told him that was impossible because $149 down gave payments of $149 a month. He went back and came back with $135 a month! I told him I was leaving. He finally came back with payments of $87 a month. I checked the math, it was correct, so I proceeded to buy the car. When the papers were signed, the salesman handed me the keys to the car, and the sales manager walked in and asked the salesman what he thought he was doing. The salesman told him he had sold me the car. The sales manager looked at me, and said that the red car was not the car that was on sale, but the navy blue car was. I HATE navy blue caars! I said I signed the papers for the red car, and that was the car I was taking. The slkes manager looked at the paper, and the VIN for the navy blue car was on it! I was FURIOUS! I told them I was not taking that car, and that I was going to stop payment on the check. They said color didn't matter. I got in my old car and was leaving, and the saleman said he would give me the red car instead. I told him where he could stick the red car. He said I thought I liked the red car. I told him I was settling for red because that was the one that was supposedly advertised. Now I didn't like red enough o do business with them, and I was leaving. He asked me what color car I wanted. I told him white. He asked that if he could get me the white car for the same deal would I buy it. I agreed, and I got the color I had hoped for all along.
That white 1985 Nissan Sentra was a GREAT car. That dealership's franchise was taken away, and a reputable dealer took it's place.
I bought a highline 4 door premium sedan from a Hoover Alabama (Birmingham suburb, on US 31 south) off the SHOWROOM floor. The car was "new" and never titled. It was the flagship of the brand thereby the only one represented of the model on the showroom floor.
About one month later a gearhead friend of mine was looking at the car, and claimed "this car has been painted on, and HIT". I said "no way", it's a brand new vehicle ! He said "I don't care, it's definitely been painted on".
I had the car inspected by 3 independent professionals. One even drove from Atlanta. All inspectors agreed that there was damage on the car and then repaired...but done very very well indeed.
I filed suit against the very BIG dealer. During the discovery process, we found out the following.
1) The vehicle had in fact never been titled, and a current model year.
2) The car was actually listed as a "lease car" to a company owned by one of the partners and
principals of the dealership in Mountain Brook AL (another suburb of Birmingham)
3) The owner/principal's wife was actually driving the car on occasion . So was his daughter.
4) The daughter was in an accident and the left rear quarter was damaged.
5) The vehicle was returned to the dealership repaired and painted.
6) The vehicle was placed back in inventory as normal stock (it really never was transferred out)
7) It was detailed and placed on the showroom floor for sale .
8) The dealership attempted to destroy and obfuscate the body shop records at the time of filing the suit.
9) Obfuscation occurred in many ways, including but not limited to altering "stock numbers" and omitting VIN numbers on paperwork.
You can't make this stuff up, folks. One of the owners was involved in FRAUD..involving even his family and children.
I sued, got my day in court, and got PAID . The crook owner is still around good ole Birmingham as a solid citizen. LOL
I bought a highline 4 door premium sedan from a Hoover Alabama (Birmingham suburb, on US 31 south) off the SHOWROOM floor. The car was "new" and never titled. It was the flagship of the brand thereby the only one represented of the model on the showroom floor.
About one month later a gearhead friend of mine was looking at the car, and claimed "this car has been painted on, and HIT". I said "no way", it's a brand new vehicle ! He said "I don't care, it's definitely been painted on".
I had the car inspected by 3 independent professionals. One even drove from Atlanta. All inspectors agreed that there was damage on the car and then repaired...but done very very well indeed.
I filed suit against the very BIG dealer. During the discovery process, we found out the following.
1) The vehicle had in fact never been titled, and a current model year.
2) The car was actually listed as a "lease car" to a company owned by one of the partners and
principals of the dealership in Mountain Brook AL (another suburb of Birmingham)
3) The owner/principal's wife was actually driving the car on occasion . So was his daughter.
4) The daughter was in an accident and the left rear quarter was damaged.
5) The vehicle was returned to the dealership repaired and painted.
6) The vehicle was placed back in inventory as normal stock (it really never was transferred out)
7) It was detailed and placed on the showroom floor for sale .
8) The dealership attempted to destroy and obfuscate the body shop records at the time of filing the suit.
9) Obfuscation occurred in many ways, including but not limited to altering "stock numbers" and omitting VIN numbers on paperwork.
You can't make this stuff up, folks. One of the owners was involved in FRAUD..involving even his family and children.
I sued, got my day in court, and got PAID . The crook owner is still around good ole Birmingham as a solid citizen. LOL
But there had to be miles on it right?
I had a similar experience with a new Audi, roof caved in in shipping. Repainted, sold as new. 3 months later I found out from the car detailer, I called the sales manager and told him. He then claimed he forgot to have me sign a disclosure about the damage. I told him I need a new car since I bought a new car! He hesitated until I told him I was calling the newspaper to report that he was selling wrecked/repainted cars as new! I got a new car the next day.....
This place sells Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce and Bentley from one location.......they didn't need bad press!
^^^^ sure, it had "miles" on it.....I think it was about 119, but less than 200 !
I had a similar experience at another large BMW/Porsche/VW dealership on US 19 in St. Petersburg, FL.
Bought a NEW white sedan..still had plastic on the seats, window sticker etc etc...was washing it one day and saw something "white" on the edge of a side marker/running light/signal...on right front fender... I rubbed it, it wouldn't come off....yep.....WHITE PAINT overspray !
Called dealer, took a picture, had a written statement by a known Bay area body shop attesting to that
the fender had been painted.
Dealer admitted the car was bumped during off-load from commercial car carrier .
I told them I was going to sue them. We settled before court on several thousand dollars. I kept the car for a short while and bought another brand from a wholesaler in Memphis.
I used to sell cars and my bad experiences come from customers mostly wasting my time.
More than once I had people come in to buy they take a test drive, we grind out the numbers they head out back to financing and come back out with their heads down and quickly leave. Ah did you think you could slip past us the bankruptcy and the reposession you had last week?
How about the buyers that pull up in a piece of crap and want ot buy a new car. Will you be trading? "NO NO NO" We choose a vehicle work out the numbers to the bone and then they decide to throw the beat up old trade in and demand the blue book value and then some. They usually left angry.
Probably the worst for me was when a family friend came in with his 60+ year old Mom. She picked out a nice car. It was a slow night so the sales manager who was a male chauvenist and thought women should be in the kitchen cooking not let out into a mans world took over the negotiation. He spoke to the son and ignored the Mom. She was the one buying the car. Needless to say they walked out and I didn't blame them.
I think most car dealers and most salespeople are decent folk trying to do a good job and make a living. Not to many except for those high volume high pressure places could give a toss if they **** off a few buyers, they have more than enough buyers to make up for the bad.
My worst was I had a deal all set for a '92 Grand Am back in '92. The car had about 10,000 miles on it (they actually told me the dealership owner's wife drove it lol) When I went to pick it up they had added on about $1500 to the price. I picked up my keys and left, went to another dealer and bought the same car brand new with 0 miles for the price I had negotiated with the other idiots.
When I lived in Maryland my wife needed a new car. I went out unknown to her and test drove a new car for her. I was planning on surprising her with it in the driveway. So I liked the car and asked the salesman to give me his best price in writing and I would get back with him. He gave me MSRP!!!!! So I then went to another dealer in town and got the exact same car for about 4000 less! I bought that car the same day.
About a week later the first salesman called me and asked me if I was still interested in the car. I told him I had already purchased one from the other dealer in town. He asked why, I told him when I asked him for his best offer he gave me MSRP, the other dealership gave me a better number. he then said he could have matched that price! I told him that he should have given me that price as his best to begin with.
Thats one reason I go to carmax. Sure I might be over paying a little, but its worth it not to play the games dealers and car salesmen play.
We wanted to buy a new 2002 Toyota Tacoma and a dealer in a nearby town was advertising a big sale. I called them to ask if they had the model we wanted in stock and they said they did. We already had a pre-approved loan from the CU and knew how much we were going to put down and finance.
When we got there, they gave us this rookie sales guy who admitted to us that he was going to get fired if he couldn't close this deal. He'd been there 2 months and hadn't sold any cars. he kept running in the back room to "talk to the manager". Ugh - just give me the guy who can make a decision already!
So, the "big sale" was about $500-$1000 off MSRP and we thought that wasn't a good enough deal so we were prepared to walk. They tried all sorts of tactics on us and we were there for 3 hours haggling. We finally got to an agreed upon price and then had to deal with the finance guy who wanted to sell us all the add ons. I had a massive headache by the time we drove away!
It was such a horrible experience, I swore then I would never ever buy a new car again. However, since then I found an internet sales manager at the local Honda place and we've bought a couple of cars from him. Last one we called him up, told him we were buying the one we test drove, we didn't want any extended warranties or extras and we wanted to be out of there in a hour. He made it happen! That's the only way I'll buy new ever again.
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