Dealer craigslist shenanigans

I experienced the type of shady business practices that helps the entire population of used-car salesmen maintain their reputation as the scum of the earth last night.

After responding to a “by owner” craigslist ad for a MINI Cooper S in Milford and arranging a time to check it out with a guy named Tony, I was given directions only as far as the freeway exit and told to “call back when I get there so I can be given the exact location”.

When I called back after driving a half hour, he told me to make two turns and then gave me an address – which turned out to be Liberty Chevrolet. Even though this owner to dealer switch gave me a bad vibe, I decided to go ahead and check the car out since the price was reasonable and the description was pretty much what I’m looking for.

I went into the dealership and asked for Tony, but was told he was busy with another customer so they set me up with another leech (er, sales associate) named Rick. Rick told me to wait while he pulled the car around. After 25 minutes, he apologizes for the wait and invites me to come and check it out.

As soon as I walk out the door, I notice that it is not the car in the ad – it isn’t even a Cooper S, just a base MINI. At that point I walked away and told them that I was not happy with their shady business practices. I did some research when I got back home and found that Liberty Chevrolet has a “D” rating with BBB (no surprise there).

I hate when dealers put put their down payment price as the actual price and the berkeley up all my searches.

Or the per month. I see a sweet deal, click on it, and find out it's some pirate trying to foist off some garbage.

You should flag the dude's postings.

^^ That.

I'm also really annoyed by a bunch of dealers here that only put 'call for price' in their ads - if I wanted something that's a year old, I wouldn't search for stuff that's listed for less that $5k, now would I?

I get pissed when they list some arbitrary down payment as the actual price. Adds a lot of crap to my Craigslook searches.

flag the posts and complain the the CL admins. They'll do the best they can to block abusive posters, but they can't monitor every ad.. they need your feedback to make it better.

Otto_Maddox wrote: You should flag the dude's postings.

done.

I did a search for his phone number and a couple more cars came up, flagged them as well.

phone number search will be my new standard operating procedure from now on.

Just for entertainment call the sales manager. It's possible he set this up, but it's also possible he has no clue.

Dan

I always search the phone number of the seller. If several cars come up, I know the seller is a dealer. It usually means it is a curbstoner selling really crappy cars.

Here is how to deal with this. Take the car for a long ride and enjoy yourself. Do things you may have seen in a cartoon or a good CGI movie. Engage them. Make a deal, not too hasily though. Drag it out for a while haggling over silliness. Enjoy this. Make them jump around with all their antics asking "the guy upstairs". Take it all the way to the part where you are supposed to sign the papers and leave a deposit. It should be about 2-3hrs of time. Then...

"Well gentlemen... this has been awesome. I enjoy being berkeleyed with. That craigslist E36 M3 is really funny. Have a nice day."

You should have beat the piss out of it on a test drive and then locked the keys in it with the engine running blocking the door to the showroom.

Rusnak_322 wrote: You should have beat the piss out of it on a test drive and then locked the keys in it with the engine running blocking the door to the showroom.

But don't they photocopy your license first?

Just leave some DNA on the wheel.

Years ago when checkbooks were more common my buddy and his dad went and looked at a car at a dealer.

the dad knew to have his checkbook in his front shirt pocket with a pen signaling he was ready to put down a down payment. but he was messing with them and had no plans.

Some older guy in my church who owned a company put on a shirt and sport coat and took his 19 year old son and went to buy a Corvette for him. But just wanted to test drive one and let his son try on out.

some of this i dont do as i dont want to waste my time either....

i was searching for cars recently and came about a bunch of listings from the dealer i worked at like the OP posted. I immediately went to the sales manager and GM, simply because every Civic under my search came up from our dealer listed at monthly leasing prices. My point to the managers was exactly what someone said before "anyone who is looking for a car under $2000, likely isn't going to buy or lease a brand new car.

I suppose you're talking about Liberty Chevy in New Hudson, MI. I can vouch that that dealership sucks ass.

you guys need to own a corvette.

it is a magical key to pull up to any dealer and test drive anything you want on the lot not questions asked and no license copying.

i wanted to drive a lincoln LS V8 - the dealer had one. i pulled up in the vette and had a look, guy came out with the keys and said "wanna trade in your vette?" i said nope i need a winter car so he asked "wanna take it for a ride?" - sure lets do that. after we pulled out he said "youve got a license, right?"

patgizz wrote: after we pulled out he said "youve got a license, right?"

No, but I have a vette

Kramer wrote: I suppose you're talking about Liberty Chevy in New Hudson, MI. I can vouch that that dealership sucks ass.

That's the one - and they do suck ass . . .

zomby woof wrote:

patgizz wrote: after we pulled out he said "youve got a license, right?"

No, but I have a vette

excellent! Would you mind driving then? You know, I seem to have misplaced my wallet. In my Jaaaaag.