Car Dealer antics...Only we can stop them.

[Flexon Phil]

Been shopping for a car for my son. Found a Subie at a Honda of Toms River (NJ). We settled on a price over the phone. I get there, look at the car and all is well. I ask for one thing, to see the R.O (repair Order) for when they did the safety check on the car. I basically wanted to see where the brakes were, since I would be taking it out of state to register it and wanted to make sure it woudl pass. I am told there is no RO and not to worry about it and that it passed, I said there must be an RO..the manager said no, just an OK on the oil change sheet. Red flag there. I decided to let it go. Go to do the paperwork and there is a 198.00 charge for "protection package", I ask what that is, he said etching. I have a good idea what etching costs..and what it sells for..be that as it may... I said that the car hadn't been etched..he said it had..we walk out to the car and there is no etching, he said it must have faded...(I had told him previously, that I sold cars for many years)I looked at him and chuckled, please don't insult my intelligence, this car had never been etched. He swore it had, but faded. He said I was getting a good deal and should just pay it. I said I would not pay the fee for something that I didn't want and had yet to be installed on the car. We settle on a price and I would not be bumped. Manager came in and said I had to pay it. Sorry. No go. I drove 2 hours there, spent an hour there and another 2 hours home. There were a few other lies they went into, needless to say I called them on all.

The reason dealers pull these antics is because people put up with them and give in..I am sorry, I never dealt this way when I sold cars...no way in heII am I going to reward a dealer for trying to pull them on me and giving in. If you want dealers like this to stop these antics...do NOT buy from them.

To sum up: Avoid Honda of Toms River NJ..this is the type of dealer that gives dealers bad names. Their phone number is 888-252-7359 if you want to call in and tell them you read about a bad buying experience at their dealership. Let them know, we will not put up with it. If you want to post this over at other sites, feel free to.

[Benny Profane]

First, welcome to New Jersey. Now, get out as fast as you can, and certainly don't ever think of doing an honest bizness dealing here again.

Second, what's etching?

[Flexon Phil]

First, welcome to New Jersey. Now, get out as fast as you can, and certainly don't ever think of doing an honest bizness dealing here again.

Second, what's etching?

Etching is that acid paper put onto windows so if the car is stolen and at a chop shop, they can trace the parts.

[flyby]

...no way in heII am I going to reward a dealer for trying to pull them on me and giving in.

where is this heII you speak of?

[ill-advised strategy]

heck. it's pronounced heck

[Benny Profane]

Etching is that acid paper put onto windows so if the car is stolen and at a chop shop, they can trace the parts.

Like, from, Brazil? (Sopranos reference)

I am this (forefinger and thumb 1/2 inch apart) from getting out of this cesspool. The last place in the world I would buy a car. And that includes Vermont (road salt reference).

[Flexon Phil]

heck. it's pronounced heck

Was posted at a few sites that have **** restrictions.

[mr_gyptian]

most dealers don't even recondition their vehicles. I just bought an expedition from another dealer yesterday to sell one of my customers. It ended up needing around $400 worth of warranty work and had a door latch recall that needed to be performed. I think that paid around $75 in labor and $29 in parts.

As a dealer why wouldn't you do the warranty work? it is free $$$$$!

[Flexon Phil]

most dealers don't even recondition their vehicles. I just bought an expedition from another dealer yesterday to sell one of my customers. It ended up needing around $400 worth of warranty work and had a door latch recall that needed to be performed. I think that paid around $75 in labor and $29 in parts.

As a dealer why wouldn't you do the warranty work? it is free $$$$$!

So true. Also, you cannot tell me there is not an RO for a car that went through service. How did the tech get paid?? What did he sign off on?

[mr_gyptian]

I guess with some of the higher volume dealers it is easier to get a way with that. but for me, I fix everything if a customer has a problem after they leave my lot. If I do it during its used vehicle inspection I'm doing it on my terms. two days later it isn't on my terms and usually entails me comping a rental for the customer. regardless, there is only downside to me not reconditioning the used vehicles I sell.

for the life of me I cannot figure out why people buy from those little pot lots if I'm selling a reconditioned vehicle. However, if my option is that honda store that obviously doesn't recondition. Why wouldn't you buy elsewhere? no etch, b.s. No b.s., period.

[SnowHot]

Try being a knowledgeable woman buying a car.
My husband used to be embarrassed to car shop with me, now he just sits back to watch the show.

[AbsolutStoli]

that sucks man. but yeah, welcome to toms river. where were you driving from?

im in the car shopping process myself right now, so far its been 3 cars and 3 no go's for me. it sucks. you think youre so close, and youre gonna finally have a car, and then no.

good luck with your search.

[Flexon Phil]

that sucks man. but yeah, welcome to toms river. where were you driving from?

im in the car shopping process myself right now, so far its been 3 cars and 3 no go's for me. it sucks. you think youre so close, and youre gonna finally have a car, and then no.

good luck with your search.

Go there..get to the buyers order, then say "This is the place that makes you take the "Protection Package"(etching), I heard about you..I'm outta here"

[mr_gyptian]

Try being a knowledgeable woman buying a car.
My husband used to be embarrassed to car shop with me, now he just sits back to watch the show.

This makes my job so easy. More often than not you already know a ballpark for trade, sale price, financing. If I'm close you're in your car in less than two hours.

the dipshits that come in and test drive a fully loaded Expedition and then ask for a $300/mo. payment kill me. Not only that, but they probably can't finance a roll of toilet paper.

Me: "What do you mean you don't have any money down?"

Them: "Nope, can't come up with any."

Me: "Really? because you haven't paid a bill since the second Clinton administration. Where'd it all go?"

them: [blank stare]

[Badger]

We just went through this. Interesting mix of dealers out there. The worst was the high-pressure tent sale - trying to do the foursquare sheet, throwing out ridiculous numbers like I couldn't look up the Blue Book on my phone in 30 seconds. They wouldn't even counter when I offered the Edmunds "True Market Value" (what the car is theoretically really worth). Just waiting for a bigger sucker, I guess.

It doesn't make sense to me, though - I checked and the car still hasn't sold two weeks later. I would think actually selling cars at a fair profit would be better business in the long run than waiting for the golden goose to stroll in.

Then there was the "no-dicker" place that had the truck we wanted marked at high blue book. Blue book is supposed to be the asking price - I don't know how the heck they thought that was a price they could sell it at. It's now a month later and they've dropped the price by all of $500 - still $1000 over what the retail selling price should be - and it's still unsold. On this one, I'd been e-mailing the previous owner, so I knew exactly what condition it was in and what they paid for it as a trade-in. Wouldn't it be better to make a quick $1,000 and have it off the lot in a week? I guess not.

The car we ended up buying was listed at $600 below Edmunds TMV - and what I believed to be a fair price. All I asked was that they knock off their $300 dealer handling fee and give me 72 hours to have my mechanic look it over. I was out of there in less than an hour, they got their sale and got back to work. That's how it should be, dammit.

[Nathan Explosion]

Been shopping for a car for my son. Found a Subie at a Honda of Toms River (NJ). We settled on a price over the phone. I get there, look at the car and all is well. I ask for one thing, to see the R.O (repair Order) for when they did the safety check on the car. I basically wanted to see where the brakes were, since I would be taking it out of state to register it and wanted to make sure it woudl pass. I am told there is no RO and not to worry about it and that it passed, I said there must be an RO..the manager said no, just an OK on the oil change sheet. Red flag there. I decided to let it go. Go to do the paperwork and there is a 198.00 charge for "protection package", I ask what that is, he said etching. I have a good idea what etching costs..and what it sells for..be that as it may... I said that the car hadn't been etched..he said it had..we walk out to the car and there is no etching, he said it must have faded...(I had told him previously, that I sold cars for many years)I looked at him and chuckled, please don't insult my intelligence, this car had never been etched. He swore it had, but faded. He said I was getting a good deal and should just pay it. I said I would not pay the fee for something that I didn't want and had yet to be installed on the car. We settle on a price and I would not be bumped. Manager came in and said I had to pay it. Sorry. No go. I drove 2 hours there, spent an hour there and another 2 hours home. There were a few other lies they went into, needless to say I called them on all.

The reason dealers pull these antics is because people put up with them and give in..I am sorry, I never dealt this way when I sold cars...no way in heII am I going to reward a dealer for trying to pull them on me and giving in. If you want dealers like this to stop these antics...do NOT buy from them.

To sum up: Avoid Honda of Toms River NJ..this is the type of dealer that gives dealers bad names. Their phone number is 888-252-7359 if you want to call in and tell them you read about a bad buying experience at their dealership. Let them know, we will not put up with it. If you want to post this over at other sites, feel free to.

I had that happen to me with my VW. It took me getting up and being at the door of the dealership before they backed down, sounds like this dealer is even dumber.

But, when I bought my Subaru, I had a fantastic experience. Salesman found the one Impreza wagon that I was looking for, and it had some extras on it I didn't want, like a stereo upgrade, and was missing things like rubber floor mats that I wanted. So, I told him I really wanted this car, but it needed to have a few certain things, and I felt like there were things on the car which I didn't want. So, we work on the deal for exactly what I want, and then he has his shop manager look at what the car has. They took as much of what I didn't want out of the car as they could, including most of the stereo upgrade, cost them almost three hours, and just flat out gave me the mats, better tires, and a few others because I waited so long for the car, not to mention no charge for the upgrades I didn't want that they couldn't remove. The salesman and the manager made the exact deal I wanted, and were honest as they could be throughout the process, and worked so hard for me on the basis of a handshake agreement, no contract, no signatures. Not to mention I met the shop manager, who gives me free oil changes, and state inspections, car washes, and tops off my gas tank whenever I make it back to the dealer.

So there is, in fact, hope for humanity. Oh, my Subie dealer is Gillman Subaru South in Houston, TX. Bought it when I had to live there.

[SnowHot]

This makes my job so easy. More often than not you already know a ballpark for trade, sale price, financing. If I'm close you're in your car in less than two hours.

Short skirt and halter top not necessary?

Me: I need the V8 and the a tow package
Him: this one is a good deal and has a sun roof
Me: It doesn't have a tow package
Him: It has really nice vanity mirrors
Me: I can check my hair at home.
Him: What do you need to tow?
Me: What difference does it make. Stop showing me 6's with moon roofs, and check to see what you have with a tow package.
Him: Didn' tyou say your husband had a truck. Maybe you can use it to tow stuff.

Me: Se ya!!!

[CaddyDaddy77]

Lucked out on our last two deals.
I called about a used car that was at a small dealer/mechanic. Good car definitely not like the rest of his stock of mostly trucks and SUV's. I couldn't get through had to go to work etc, so I asked my wife to call on it when she got a chance. The guy's wife happens to answer and lets slip, "I'm glad you called because we were taking it to auction next week.and we really need to get back to even on this, we paid XXX" XXX happened to be about $2,700 less than what it stickered armed with that I got a nice deal. Guy wasn't very happy through the whole process.


Last car we bought we got a straight deal, good price and a salesman who was more interested in trying to get me to work there than the deal, kid in finance had just moved cross-country and had a total of 6 hrs of sleep in 3 days, wasn't in much of a mood to argue or nickel and dime me to death. When your actually armed with your info, credit score, down payment, blue book, couple of print outs of similar cars etc, it gives you more leverage.


Love the tactics, four square, the Ben Franklin, take it home tonight, just meet with my manager, just write down a couple of names and numbers while I walk this over to finance, etc.

[Todds]

I spent a bunch of time negotiating a deal on a car once. The salesman and I came to an agreement on the price. He left to finalize the paperwork. He came back and told me the manager wouldn't approve the deal. We go to the managers office. The manager tells me the price is so low that the salesman wouldn't make any commission and that he was looking out for the salesman. The salesman gets 10% of the profit as a commission. The manager wanted me to pay an extra $500 so that the salesman would be taken car of.
I decided to call the guys bluff. I opened my wallet and put a $100 bill on the desk. I said if we do the original deal I would give the salesman the $100. That is twice the commission and it was cash. They didn't take the deal - I left. An hour later they called me at home wanting to do the deal.

[P_McPoser]

I walked into the ford dealer, picked a truck, got the price, paid, and left. It's nice when there is no haggling involved.

[wandering, not lost]

I had that happen to me with my VW. It took me getting up and being at the door of the dealership before they backed down, sounds like this dealer is even dumber.

My grandmother did the opposite a few years ago. She actually refused to leave the guy's office until he sold her the car at the price she wanted. I think she sat there for a couple hours. She's a spunky lady.

I had a fantastic experience at Romano Subaru in Syracuse when I bought my impreza. They were pretty awesome.

[gh444]

commonwealth audi in Santa Ana CA lie and steal. fuckers.

[rideit]

I had a fantastic experience at Romano Subaru in Syracuse when I bought my impreza. They were pretty awesome.

I bought two different vehicles from there in the 90's. Both great transactions. very satisfied. (funny enough, one of them burned to the ground in St. Mary's cemetery during a massive powder surge)...still, that had nothing to do with Romano.

And yes, alcohol was involved.

With the car fire.

And that is another great insurance story which I will share later.

[CountryFunk]

Why anyone would actually deal in person with a car saleperson in this day and age is beyond me. Do your research on the web and deal with the dealership via email/and the phone. You can find out what the vehicles the dealer has in stock, see the actual window sticker for the vehicle and exactly what options it has, find the price the dealear paid for the actual vehicle, find incentive packages in your area, etc. etc.. I just bought a 2008 Chevy Silverado for $100 less than the Edmunds.com invoice price, didn't pay 1 cent down, and got 0% APR for 60 months. The first time I actually saw the truck was when I went to pick it up, and by then I had already played 3 dealerships against each other over the phone. I looked it over, signed the papers and drove it away - face time with the sales guy was about 30 minutes (total research/phone/email time about 4 hours). Granted, Ford and Chevy are giving away full-sized trucks these days - but if you're dealing with car dealers over the phone or on the net YOU are in control, and you DON'T have to play their stupid fucking little games and waste your time.

I love my truck ...

[Benny Profane]

0% APR for 60 months.

What is that?