Worst Dealership Experience Ever

[H2O_Doc]

This was not a Toyota transaction, but nonetheless…

I’ve been thinking about adding a Z51 to the stable and I thought I found a very good deal. Red 2017 Z51 3LT 3,000 miles. Very nice car. $59k. And it was a CPO, so warranty through 2024.

I know the game, I knew they’d want the doc fee. So, multiple times I asked if it was asking price plus ttl and doc fee and was told yes, just come in.

I go to the dealership and sounds like all is fine and we chat and they bring back the pricing sheet: the added $4,995 for the CPO certification and warranty, so I got up and started walking out. What?

Lots of drama and back and forth and I get them down to $1,000. It should have been zero, but I figure I want the car and it’s still a good price, so to hell with principle.

So we reprint the sheet I tore up and this is where it gets worse. When I came and did a walk around, the sales guy commented that they added wheel locks. Oh said “oh, great@ in passing and promptly forgot about it.

Back to those wheel locks. Price still doesn’t add up - it’s still too high. So I scan down the list and there they are - the wheel locks. $699. I said, you’ve got to be $h1tt!ng me!!! This is a joke right, $699 for $30 wheel locks??????? And the sales guy, with no sense of shame says “well, we also filled the tires with nitrogen.”

I said, “so you filled the tires with the most abundant gas in the atmosphere???” “Are you charging by the molecule???”

so they gave me a song and dance about how the price had originally been set at $67k blah, blah, blah. So, they agreed to give me my Frank Sinatra autographed diamond encrusted locks off for free and we ended up at $60k; still a pretty good price.

And I was going to sign, but then I said no - I won’t reward this kind of behavior. I would have paid that price if they had been upfront, but no - I’m not going to tell them their attempted scan is ok.

I cannot believe people really do this kind of stuff to one another.

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[ToyoBMW]

This was not a Toyota transaction, but nonetheless…

I’ve been thinking about adding a Z51 to the stable and I thought I found a very good deal. Red 2017 Z51 3LT 3,000 miles. Very nice car. $59k. And it was a CPO, so warranty through 2024.

I know the game, I knew they’d want the doc fee. So, multiple times I asked if it was asking price plus ttl and doc fee and was told yes, just come in.

I go to the dealership and sounds like all is fine and we chat and they bring back the pricing sheet: the added $4,995 for the CPO certification and warranty, so I got up and started walking out. What?

Lots of drama and back and forth and I get them down to $1,000. It should have been zero, but I figure I want the car and it’s still a good price, so to hell with principle.

So we reprint the sheet I tore up and this is where it gets worse. When I came and did a walk around, the sales guy commented that they added wheel locks. Oh said “oh, great@ in passing and promptly forgot about it.

Back to those wheel locks. Price still doesn’t add up - it’s still too high. So I scan down the list and there they are - the wheel locks. $699. I said, you’ve got to be $h1tt!ng me!!! This is a joke right, $699 for $30 wheel locks??????? And the sales guy, with no sense of shame says “well, we also filled the tires with nitrogen.”

I said, “so you filled the tires with the most abundant gas in the atmosphere???” “Are you charging by the molecule???”

so they gave me a song and dance about how the price had originally been set at $67k blah, blah, blah. So, they agreed to give me my Frank Sinatra autographed diamond encrusted locks off for free and we ended up at $60k; still a pretty good price.

And I was going to sign, but then I said no - I won’t reward this kind of behavior. I would have paid that price if they had been upfront, but no - I’m not going to tell them their attempted scan is ok.

I cannot believe people really do this kind of stuff to one another.

Well there are dealers that think Nitrogen is valuable stuff. Had a car with lifetime nitrogen fill up for $200 add on. They insist it's added value to the car, wouldn't take it off even if I was buying the car to take to another state.

 

[Dannyvandelft]

Gimme 3 Chalupas and wait 30 minutes.... all the Nitrogen you'll need.

 

[zrk]

Gimme 3 Chalupas and wait 30 minutes.... all the Nitrogen you'll need.

That's methane, brother.

 

[H2O_Doc]

Gimme 3 Chalupas and wait 30 minutes.... all the Nitrogen you'll need.

You just want to sit on the valve stem.

 

[XtremeMaC]

I hear you, but what are the chances that this experience taught him anything. Usually people who do this kinda thing don't even see anything wrong with their behavior to begin with, even if you specifically told them so....
In the end, don't know how much money is worth to you, but you gained nothing...after the whole thing. I'm with you there, surely it started leaving a sore taste as shit started going sideways...
Yet you're not getting in bed with them.. do the deal, done.. Don't ever do business with the guy. Service may be good... Just one bad apple (could be, or whole dealer condones this?)

Now, anyone in VA who reads this can start at $1000 CPO, you've done the hard part

Just saying ..

Ps. No, I'm not condoning dealers actions.

 

[digicidal]

Sounds almost exactly like my experience with my initial attempt at getting the MKV. Wound up losing a sale at full MSRP (needless to say I really wanted to get my car that day). Three different offers which "magically" changed after agreement to be $5K-10K more.

I was about 5 minutes away from aggravated assault charges, so I just walked out and drove across town. Other than aftersale add-on "offers" (which are normal and easily denied) I spent less time on the whole deal than I wasted just attempting to get a hard price at the first dealership.

 

[H2O_Doc]

I hear you, but what are the chances that this experience taught him anything. Usually people who do this kinda thing don't even see anything wrong with their behavior to begin with, even if you specifically told them so....
In the end, don't know how much money is worth to you, but you gained nothing...after the whole thing. I'm with you there, surely it started leaving a sore taste as shit started going sideways...
Yet you're not getting in bed with them.. do the deal, done.. Don't ever do business with the guy. Service may be good... Just one bad apple (could be, or whole dealer condones this?)

Now, anyone in VA who reads this can start at $1000 CPO, you've done the hard part

Just saying ..

Ps. No, I'm not condoning dealers actions.

Yep, I appreciate what you’re saying. You’re right. The car will sell. It was still a good price.

 

[Dannyvandelft]

That's methane, brother.

And this is why I drive semi's for a living

 

[TheRock]

The best and only way I will buy a car now.

1)Go to the dealership to look at the vehicle I want, get salesman’s card and let them know I will NOT be leaving that day with a new vehicle.

2)Go home and negotiate price over email or text. This allows me to look up information on the interwebz and not be in a high-pressure situation.

3)Once a price is agreed upon, I let them know I will be bring in a certified bank draft so it needs to be exact to the penny. Don't mention this before negotiating a final price. I’m not interested in monthly payments, I can math a little bit, I only want to talk final price. I’m polite, yet very firm. I let them know one cent off means I can’t use the bank draft and I will be leaving without a car again if this happens.

4)I bring in my bank draft and get the car. You still sit with the finance guy to do paperwork, and they typically try to offer all the add-ons, but I find when you have a pre-filled bank draft they know you aren’t buying anything extra.

This has been the best and smoothest method for me. I’m not ever financing through the dealership and you have to be willing to walk away. I had one dealership try to throw in at the last minute that the vehicle had PPF and they had to charge for that. I told them I didn’t want it, they could take it off. Of course they tried to haggle but when I got up to leave (and I really was leaving, it wasn’t a bluff) it suddenly became something they were just going to waive. Of course they weren’t going to take it off, but dealer PPF is typically crap. No way I am paying their inflated prices for that. I may not teach them a lesson, that’s irrelevant to me. I just refuse to do business with a shady dealership and there are always a ton of cars. I never NEED the one they have. If they want to be shady I’ll give my money to the next guy who is willing to be fair and honest.

 

[Sam B]

I had the exact same thing happen buying my Supra. I hate those people. We agreed on a price. Then while waiting for the bank work, they told me they have multiple offers and changed my price an additional 4K. I said no way, they played w me for 2 days this way, it’s a refraction blue and I needed that color, but I ended up playing hardball and getting the price I wanted. I ripped into the GM for an hour straight. He hung up on me and all. Then called back 2 hours later to apologize. The other buyers prob backed out.
Most car dealerships are total scum and will burn you for a bag of nickels.

 

[RenRed2]

The best and only way I will buy a car now.

1)Go to the dealership to look at the vehicle I want, get salesman’s card and let them know I will NOT be leaving that day with a new vehicle.

2)Go home and negotiate price over email or text. This allows me to look up information on the interwebz and not be in a high-pressure situation.

3)Once a price is agreed upon, I let them know I will be bring in a certified bank draft so it needs to be exact to the penny. Don't mention this before negotiating a final price. I’m not interested in monthly payments, I can math a little bit, I only want to talk final price. I’m polite, yet very firm. I let them know one cent off means I can’t use the bank draft and I will be leaving without a car again if this happens.

4)I bring in my bank draft and get the car. You still sit with the finance guy to do paperwork, and they typically try to offer all the add-ons, but I find when you have a pre-filled bank draft they know you aren’t buying anything extra.

This has been the best and smoothest method for me. I’m not ever financing through the dealership and you have to be willing to walk away. I had one dealership try to throw in at the last minute that the vehicle had PPF and they had to charge for that. I told them I didn’t want it, they could take it off. Of course they tried to haggle but when I got up to leave (and I really was leaving, it wasn’t a bluff) it suddenly became something they were just going to waive. Of course they weren’t going to take it off, but dealer PPF is typically crap. No way I am paying their inflated prices for that. I may not teach them a lesson, that’s irrelevant to me. I just refuse to do business with a shady dealership and there are always a ton of cars. I never NEED the one they have. If they want to be shady I’ll give my money to the next guy who is willing to be fair and honest.

I am identitical with a swap at times on 1 and 2. I interwebz research etc. I wont go in until all is agree'd. I dont do the Finance office ever. I tell them that after the price is agree'd. No add ons etc. I have finance in place if needed. I do pay cash at times. There plenty of ways to expedite the process. Dealers that wont deal my way are SO EASILY replaced its not even funny.

 

[Jaxness]

I commend you for walking out and figuratively telling them to shove it up their ass.

I've been in a similar position several times where I decided to walk out and hopefully teach someone a lesson. Not sure if they learned it or not, but I still feel good about not giving my money to liars.

I handled the purchase of my Supra via email since it was out of state. My salesman had no idea I was a woman until he picked me up from the airport. The kind of bullshitting and scam attempts I have to deal with just because I have tits is amazing.

 

[Roman]

a couple years back I was looking for a 997 911, always wanted one, so I found a relatively cheap one at the moment with 68k miles in Houston Texas (Im in upstate NY) so I talked to the dealer we agreed on price, I buy a plane ticket and get there (that was a WHOLE other story) and we doing paperwork and they are coming out with $13k more then we talked about and what money I brought with me - started looking - and they "added" a $9k extended warrenty and a bunch of other stuff

so I did kinda what you did, told them either you put down on paper what we agreed on or I'm not buying it

only thing extra that was on there was the dealer fee at the end

in the end the car still wasnt what they said it was and what I thought I was buying, but thats my fault and STILL for a 997 911 at that point in time I was a steal (black/black/manual C2 for $30k with 68k miles)

 

[MYA90SUPRA]

I must have gotten pretty lucky. I did all my negotiations over the phone and never had a problem when I showed up. He asked if I wanted any add on things and told him no once and that was it.

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