Why are car dealerships run by neanderthals? (vehicle, credit, best)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm with my brother. He's buying a car. He needed a lift to the dealership that's fifty miles outside of town.
He showed up yesterday, had his credit approved, and when it came time to sign the paperwork, he found an error in the price. A $2,000 difference over what was quoted. They promised to get the paperwork right when we got back this morning.
So we're back. Arrived here at 9 a.m. on the dot and I'm still here two hours later. I'd like to leave, but I don't want to maroon my brother here in case these guys screw things up again.
I'd like to say that this is the exception to most car-buying experiences, but I've yet to have a good one.
The last time I bought a car, I knew what I wanted, knew what I'd pay, and my wife and I have credit stronger than three acres of garlic. Rather than pay cash, I though I'd take advantage of the 0% interest.
Walked into the dealership at 10 a.m., test drove two cars and picked the second one. By 11 a.m., we had an agreed-upon price. By 11:30, my credit was approved.
But I didn't drive off the lot until 4:30 that afternoon. Why? Because they had to prep the car, put gas in the tank, and a host of other pointless crap. Even then, at 4:30, they still wanted me to walk through the service department and meet everybody, as if I gave a damn. Trust me. I don't want to glad-hand the guys in the service department for two essential reasons: 1) That means something has gone wrong with the car I just purchased and 2) I prefer not to be overcharged for an oil change, thanks. What's more, by the time my new car needs actual service a year or two from now, that guy in the service department has likely moved on to somewhere else.
And this purchase experience didn't even include the other five dealerships prior where the salesperson knew less than me. Or left me standing out in the rain because he forgot to get the key and had to go in to get it. Or did their level best to not sell me the car at the advertised price. Or wanted to charge me $1,000 for floor mats that I could get at a fraction of the cost online. And on and on and on.
The thing is, I'm a pretty amiable guy. I'm not some crank. I'm just a guy with a reasonably busy schedule who thinks that it should be a simple matter to pick out a car, get the financing hammered out, and leave.
Yet, I've probably bought fifteen cars over the years for either myself, for my kids, or with my wife. And I've yet to have a good experience. And I'm a guy with good credit who does his research. I'm not a pain in the ass. I'm not trying to squeeze these guys in negotiations.
So why is the entire process an ordeal on the order of a spinal tap or a root canal? You mention this to people in the car biz and they shrug their shoulders and say, "Well, that's just the way it is."
Help me out here. Why are car dealerships seemingly run by shady incompetents? I'd really like to know.
I too wonder why the process can take hours to purchase a vehicle. Last year it was 3 to 4 hours before we left the dealership after my wife picked the vehicle she wanted and her credit and financing approved. I’m a very patient person but I was ready to say have our papers ready for us tomorrow. Why does the process take so freaking long?
We had a car selected. Paying cash. Whole deal my wife arranged over the phone. All negotiations done.
Got to the dealership and it was at least three hours to fill out the minimal paperwork for a cash purchase (no financing), wash the car, and hand over the keys. Really? Come on, guys, it takes 15 minutes to wash a car (hell, the thing's brand new - how dirty can it be?)
I was a bit annoyed (especially in these Covid times) when I made an appointment to pick up the car. They were not ready and it took almost 2 hours to get out.
Having said that the rest of the process was not bad, negotiation entirely remote and they did not give me any trouble about the price when I got there. I had them email me a transaction sheet so there was no doubt about things.
I was a bit surprised they made no effort whatever to talk me into an extended warranty.
As to the original comment- delay and wearing down the customer is a common, although apparently not universal, strategy.
Last year I was buying a car for my wife down in Atlanta, Ga.
I'm in NJ and we did all the pre work on the phone and via email. I even faxed them copies of the bank checks I was bringing with me.
I was flying in, getting an Uber at the airport and hoped to be out of there within the hour as I was driving to my son's house on the way back to NJ and he lives in the Raleigh area.
Even with paying cash (bank checks) they made me sit down with the finance guy who wanted to review some options for me on extended warranties.
I was like WTF!!!
What extended warranties???
I'm buying a 2019 CPO with a 5 year, 100,000 warranty. Why would I need an extended warranty?
Tried to get me to do a warranty on the rims. Yeah right.
I just need to get out of here so I can drive the 6 hours to my son.
They're not Neanderthals as much as they are just jacka**es. I guarantee you that $2,000 "error" wasn't really an error. They were just hoping your brother wouldn't notice and they would make an extra $2,000.
The hold up in financing is that usually there is only one finance person and 6 people who need to see him in line ahead of you. And at least one of those people will have credit issues that will take 2 hours to resolve. And at least one other will have an annual salary of $20K, be upside down on their trade-in, and will be trying to buy a $60K car.
As far as the cleaning and such, well, that just goes back to the whole being jacka**es thing. They don't care.
Let me guess -- it was a $2,000 "error" in their favor and not your brother's -- in which case I'd have been like "I love you brother... and that's why I'm not going to enable this robbery by driving you there."
My favorite car-buying experience: I'd spent almost two hours bantering and test-driving and dickering and all that. We finally reached an agreement on price and terms... until they insisted I finance in-house. I'm okay with doing that, but not if they can't even match never mind beat the rate I already have lined up through a third party. So the manager says "did you come here to buy a car or buy an interest rate?" That was my cue to get up and leave. Which really sucked because I really wanted that car.
Let me guess -- it was a $2,000 "error" in their favor and not your brother's -- in which case I'd have been like "I love you brother... and that's why I'm not going to enable this robbery by driving you there."
My favorite car-buying experience: I'd spent almost two hours bantering and test-driving and dickering and all that. We finally reached an agreement on price and terms... until they insisted I finance in-house. I'm okay with doing that, but not if they can't even match never mind beat the rate I already have lined up through a third party. So the manager says "did you come here to buy a car or buy an interest rate?" That was my cue to get up and leave. Which really sucked because I really wanted that car.
Usually when you get up and leave, they reverse course in a hurry.
My brother let me know about that $2,000 'error' on the way. Not my monkey, not my circus.
I'm an incredibly nice guy. But I don't suffer fools or liars.
My favorite “finance manager” story was in 1980, me sitting across from the dealership pinhead as he pompously offers me their “best” rate which was a payment $40 a month higher than what I already had from my credit union. I just looked at him, incredulous. Then he says “Well, how about it?” I laughed, then he laughed. What a ‘tard.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
