How to Not Buy a Car.
Posted: Sunday, November 04, 2007
by straight talk
This week I decided to shop for a new car. I figured if I could make a good deal I would move up into a newer car as long as I kept my payments the same. Now I have a 2004 Ford Focus ZTW with 23,000 miles, new tires and looks and runs showroom new and it really does. It has all the toys except leather and a sunroof but the wheels, styling and extras are all there.
Now before I went on my investigation I checked with the bank for loan value, checked NADA, Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds and Black Book and got what I thought was my cars wholesale [trade value] and retail which came in at an average of about $9000.00 trade. Of course depending on area, condition etc. Not common to a standard Base Focus by the way. I also went onto the Internet and checked the manufacturers suggested retail and dealer cost for the new cars I wanted to look at. However, you and I know that evidently and according to many of these dealers your car is always upside down, meaning it isn't worth what you think and that is even when you bring the car back to the same dealer you purchased it from. Strange, your bank gave you the loan on it, are they as dumb as we?
So my first venture was to a Ford dealer. I figured it is their car so it would be worth more to them, right? Well I was wrong. Upon arrival I reiterated everything I understood and stated to the salesperson when we spoke and that I would be very upset if they wasted my time. Once again no problem they were sure we could deal. Guess what happened? You are exactly right. They offered me about $3000.00 less then what the lowest listed price of all of estimates I gathered were. They didn't ask for any money down but said they just couldn't deal. They even told me they allowed me a little more because my car was clean. So their car was sticker priced at $17,000 without their dealer add on fees and after putting the entire deal together I was not only adding 80% of what I still owed on my car to the new loan, but the entire list price of their car which was more then the manufacturers price even with the $3000.00 in rebates.
Next was another manufacturer and it came out about the same. Last but certainly not least was a Honda dealer. I have to say the product was beautiful and well made. So I was anxious to hear what they could do. They offered me $4500.00 for mine and I got to pay most of what I owed on my current loan into the new loan, plus the cost of their new car, which was also inflated over what the manufacturer suggested was the average retail price. Thier evaluation was half of what the other estimates were and lower then the rest.
Now you have to keep in mind all the vehicles were in the same general price range and options. Also, this was after speaking to them all multiple times and telling them what I told you, what I wanted to pay as far as payments went, that I was putting zero down and get this, telling them I didn't want to waste my time or theirs if the deal couldn't be made, no hard feelings, just tell me so. Well they of course all said "no problem, can do, just bring your car in." They said all they had to do was look at mine, which I was sure would pass any inspection. In fact the Honda dealer had two people look it over.
So after getting there and doing what I call the sales dance and getting down to "are you ready to deal", they all asked and get this how much are you putting down? The payments were so ridiculous I would cry if it wasn't so sad. They also wanted $5000.00 down and they wanted me to pay over $500.00 a month for 72 months. Just imagine how many go for it?
So I asked to speak to "the manager in charge or owner". Ok, you can stop the laugh, owner in charge, they were hiding somewhere, or off Golfing I presume? When the GM came out and said "what can I do for you, and how can I help you" I asked the salesmen if we had been in touch and he understood the understanding we had? He said yes and then I asked if he conveyed that to his manger and he said yes. He reiterated exactly what I stated. I then asked the sales manager how does he sleep at night or look at himself in the mirror? He said why? I said it is evident you got me here on the assumption that once I came in you would be able to manuver me into a car, or that I was a fool, or you just wanted to harass me? He apologized and said he was sorry I felt that way but that wasn't their motive. He assured me he would investigate. Investigate what? You wasted my time, my gas, and you abused me as an individual. You knew, by nature of your experience what my car was worth. You stated yourself my car was clean and when I added it is a front line vehicle your salesman agreed. Then you had the nerve to offer me auction price for my car and expected me to buy from you? I said to him I can go to the auction to buy any car so why come to you if this is how you operate? In my opinion and I suspect yours by now, this is not about dealing in any way shape or form. He then said he didn't want me to leave with a bad taste and he wanted to make it right. So he asked me to wait. He then came back and said he worked hard and if I could put $2500.00 down they could deal.
So my good friends needless to say I still have my car. In my opinion when you enter their world you are the fool ready for the taking. It is not that you are by any means, it is in my opinion how they see you and how they respect you. In my opinion in most dealerships it isn't, never was and never is an environment where you can trust or rely on anyone. In my huble opinion they are by nature of their reputation at the very bottom of the list of professions and I suspect we all now know why?
So I passed this experience off to the their respective manufacturers, that is if you can get through to them and to those agencies that value your car. One responded saying there must be something wrong or bad about your car? I said it isn't about the car, you evidently didn't listen, in my opinion it is strictly about money and greed and why should it be any different?
Now here is the lesson to ponder. Not only is this an example of the character of people, it also pinpoints Ethical Relativity and The Theory of Selective application. In other words if it works for me it is ok. So to you who think you made a great deal, got a lot for your car, and stole theirs, do the math and perhaps you really did but in my opinion you just may need to buy a cushion and you just may need it?
Robert T. Melaccio Sr. Copyright 2007 Robert T Melaccio Sr.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Robert,
My husband I have spent the last 8 months looking for a vehicle. Because we were in no rush, we've gone to just about every dealership in town. What a racket they are running! The stories we could tell about the crazy things said to us and done to us at dealerships.
We ended up at Car Max - the used car dealership that has set prices & were absolutely blown away at how much better it was. We walked around the lot with a sales rep until we found the vehicle that suited our needs and was the price we wanted to pay. The salesman didn't pressure us or feed us stupid lines - he makes a flat rate commission no matter what you buy. There was no Finance Manager. Our salesman took us inside, put our info into the computer and within 5 minutes had 4 different financing options for us to choose from. If we didn't want any of those, we had 3 business days to arrange our own financing and pay theirs off - no fees or penalties of any kind. We'll never buy a vehicle any other way again!Oh, I hear they buy vehicles too.
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HI Mr. Melaccio, it is Karen. I enjoyed this article tremendously. I have to say when I traded in my 04 Outlander for an 07 at the local dealership they were great; though I know I didn't get the best deal, I thought I got a fair deal given my credit history and the shape of my 04. The salesperson was for naught but the sales manager really came through for me. Reading your article here only highlighted what I went through to get my 04 and was really ambivilent about trading it in after all I went through 3 years ago......it is really difficult trying to make such an expensive and "correct" purchase. I lucked out despite the fact that the sales person disappointed me tremendously, it was like he wasn't even involved and I had to remind him to give me my 20$ incentive and had to call several times to inquire as to the cargo cover, my misplaced sunglassed etc. Thanks for sharing your experience! KarenPlease log in to respond to this comment.Hi Karen, Sad but true. I though you would like to know I just got an email from one of these same dealers. I sent him my real values and asked if he would take me off their list. We should never forget that the sales person is there for those who they can 'get' and has no real deal power. Sadly, many of them come and go and only the real "dealers" make it. Be safe and thanks for reading. RTM.Please log in to respond to this comment.
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