Need help, getting screwed at a dealership.

ive been hunting for a new commuting appliance for a while. Finally found what I was looking for, a dealership 4 hours away had a Chevy sonic Ltz for an incredible price. I called them earlier this week and said I'd come over today. Price on there site was 14300. Yesterday they call and said that first that the price went up to grand because the Chevy incentives changed, and then on another call that they had just screwed up the pricing. Even at the higher price it was still a good deal, so at 6:00 this morning I got on a greyhound to make the trip. They just called to tell me the car has hail damage.

So part of me just wants to say screw it I'm done but my cheapness says there's potential here for a cheap car.

I've never bought a new car before, what approach should I take? Go in super pissed? Call someone up the food chain? Just give up and buy another bus ticket?

Can you buy local? Guys near me play those games and throw out low prices and when I show up they then tell me that there is a "recent college graduate" and "military" discount built in and I don't qualify. Also they have to add freight.

Other times I called on the internet cars and said I'm heading over and are they positive the car is there? ooooohhhhhh - we just sold it this afternoon......LOL

The term usually used in this case. "RUN"

if there's that much static involved I'd just let it go and look elsewhere

but I ain't into static

The only thing they should get out of you is maybe a mean dooker in the service toilet. Its time to go.

mndsm wrote: The only thing they should get out of you is maybe a mean dooker in the service toilet. Its time to go.

I think you meant on the sales managers desk

No, you don't go in pissed if you are determined to go at all. Trying to bully people just makes them fight you. You go in cold and calm and taking notes on who people are and what they say. I assume your position will be that you didn't negotiate a deal on a hail-damaged car and have NO intention of buying without a big discount.

Yep, tell the story, negotiated good price on car, got on bus, turn up and car is not as advertised (Gail damage). Then, ask them what THEY think is fair. "Well, I came all the way out here, still looking to buy a car, what do you guys think is a fair discount to make up for the hail damage?" Make them throw the first number.

Fair is an important word.

Another trick would be to say, "if you can't give me any money off, how else can you 'sweeten the deal'?" The might say they can give accessories, or free service, or whatever, and then you say "great, I'll take ALL of that if you can come down to this price." Then the freak a bit, but you can 'give them back' the junk that you didn't want in the first place in trade for actual money off.

Furthermore:

The proper response to the incentive change by Chevy was: "You have my sympathies, but why is that a problem for me? I made a deal with you, not Chevy." Tell them to find an undamaged one.

I agree absolutely to make them come up with the first price. Or at least demand one. If they just won't, you should have a (low but not ridiculous) price of your own ready.

I mean, it DID hail just the other day in Texas. That doesn't excuse their other shenanigans, but I'd totally believe the hail story.

There is no winning against those cockroaches, they have seen every negotiating tactic and pulled every trick in the book.

Your best chance is to wear them down. This takes time and dedication and may alienate salesmen by wasting their time.

Ideally you need to buy from a private party a 1 year old car that is not the first year of any model (or big changes).

It's very possible that the incentives from Chevy ended on March 31.

Woody wrote: It's very possible that the incentives from Chevy ended on March 31.

this is true. the $2500 "ram cash" i was counting on in february expired at the end of the month. magically though, it became a $3500 "great lakes region incentive" on march 1st.

i won't do any long distance dealer dealings without the out the door price already negotiated with a paper trail.

I prefer getting screwed at home. It's cheaper.

Look online to see your regions updated incentives. When I sold cars, programs seldom changed at months end, usually the first Monday after last day of the month.

They should at least discount enough to cover the paintless dent repair. They should be looking at this as a way of making this deal a "smaller loss".

A modified- "Costanza" is called for here. (Make sure they know you will walk, but be pleasant, fair/reasonable/realistic). If they insist on trying to have you grab your ankles, take one last test-drive... To the bus station, where you park, get out, walk away.

Ask if you can stay overnight at the sales managers house since this is taking longer than you thought. Ask if his wife is hot.

don't buy the car... but make them go thru all the hassles and paperwork of selling you one, then right before signing stand up and say "nope. screw you guys, i'm going home." and walk out.

this assumes, of course, that you have your own financing or cash on hand and they didn't go thru the whole "check your credit" routine... if that's the case, drop out after settling on a price but before they actually check your credit or do any other actual financial stuff that will show up on your record.

icaneat50eggs wrote:

mndsm wrote: The only thing they should get out of you is maybe a mean dooker in the service toilet. Its time to go.

I think you meant on the sales managers desk

Stupid autocorrect

This is working out better than anticipated. I'm getting the dents fixed free and the original price, which is crazy low. 14.3 for a loaded ltz

If you will keep the car until it is worth very little, the hail will not matter.

After buying the hail damaged Q45 for $900 but otherwise spectacular, I'm on the hunt to find hail damaged cars. Insurance paid the previous owner $5,025 for the Q45.

If they are saying they will fix the dents you'd better get this statement in iron clad print. You've had little faith in them up to this point.

novaderrik wrote: don't buy the car... but make them go thru all the hassles and paperwork of selling you one, then right before signing stand up and say "nope. screw you guys, i'm going home." and walk out. this assumes, of course, that you have your own financing or cash on hand and they didn't go thru the whole "check your credit" routine... if that's the case, drop out after settling on a price but before they actually check your credit or do any other actual financial stuff that will show up on your record.

you're either super vindictive or have way too much time on your hands. or both

Oh boy. So many things wrong here. The only thing that makes any sense is that you are ending up with a great car at a very substantial discount. I hereby volunteer to assist GRM with a story on dealing with a new car dealership.

icaneat50eggs wrote: This is working out better than anticipated. I'm getting the dents fixed free and the original price, which is crazy low. 14.3 for a loaded ltz

Wow! You can still buy a new car for $14.3K? I knew there a new cars listed for that amount or below, I just didn't know you could actually do it.

You know if they would just do an honest upfront deal with out all the games they would get so much more buisness.

call enterprise. buy one with 5000 miles on it out of their inventory for half price.

chuckles wrote: Furthermore: The proper response to the incentive change by Chevy was: "You have my sympathies, but why is that a problem for me? I made a deal with you, not Chevy." Tell them to find an undamaged one. I agree absolutely to make them come up with the first price. Or at least demand one. If they just won't, you should have a (low but not ridiculous) price of your own ready.

I agree on the hail damage part, but if an order wasn't signed and accepted, there was no deal, and sorry on the incentive change. I can't tell you the number of times I dealt with that situation, especially from people who waited to see if this month's offer was better than last month's offer.