I hate vehicle shopping!

[Garandman]

//Just give me the bottom line number for the vehicle, they just went right back to talking monthly payments, I just hung up on them. A friend had the same experience at a Ford dealer. What is wrong with these people??? I have cash in hand ready to buy a vehicle and they can't give me a sales price!! I have to agree.... I hate vehicle shopping!!!!

Because they make more money on financing than the sale.

We have a fleet of 5-8 vehicles at work but my all-time worst experience was looking for a minivan for my wife in 2001. We wanted a short model which meant Dodge Caravan (not Grand Caravan) or Toyota Sienna.

Go to the Toyota dealer first and they have a couple of used Siennas but sky-high asking prices. The Dodge dealer is next door so I tell them Im going next door. Get to the Herb Chambers Dodge dealership, explain that I want a Caravan Sport (bucket seats) and that I've bought two cars there before and have a check in my pocket.

Their computer system is down so the salesman cannot tell what they have in inventory. We have to walk the lot, and it starts raining! Find two that have what we want, take the stock # and go back inside. I tell him to give me bottom line prices on the two and he says "I can only negotiate on one." So I pick the cheaper one.

He comes back with a price that is about $1,000 more than a good deal. I say thank you and stand up. The sales manager appears at my side as if by magic. He asks what's wrong and I tell him the price offered is not a good deal: I'm going to go buy the Toyota. His comment, "Well, we wanted to be sure you were serious." I replied, "I walked in the door, told you I'd purchased two cars there previously, knew what I wanted and had a bank check in my pocket. Then I walked the lot in the rain to find the vehicle. When, exactly, do you decide someone is 'serious?'"

So, fed up, I go back to the adjacent Ira Toyota dealer and ask for the salesperson. The two dudes at the door look at each other. "You better go talk to the Sales Manager." They'd fired the guy in the hour I'd been gone!

Convinced this was a sign, looked in the ads and found a two year old Caravan Sport, private sale, with new tires and brakes and all service records. Done.

Second place goes to Honda North. I email them about a specific Accord they have in stock on their website, a blue EX-L V6 with Navigation. "We don't have one in stock." I email him back the VIN shown and tell him I want a bottom-line price including any dealer fees. They quote me a price, which is in the ballpark. "Great, I'll bring you over a bank check this afternoon." "OK - total price is as-quoted plus a $395 dealer setup charge." WHAT? Look on CL, buy a two year old EX-L V6 with nav for $10,000 less.....

 

[Garandman]

//Just give me the bottom line number for the vehicle, they just went right back to talking monthly payments, I just hung up on them. A friend had the same experience at a Ford dealer. What is wrong with these people??? I have cash in hand ready to buy a vehicle and they can't give me a sales price!! I have to agree.... I hate vehicle shopping!!!!

Because they make more money on financing than the sale.

We have a fleet of 5-8 vehicles at work but my all-time worst experience was looking for a minivan for my wife in 2001. We wanted a short model which meant Dodge Caravan (not Grand Caravan) or Toyota Sienna.

Go to the Toyota dealer first and they have a couple of used Siennas but sky-high asking prices. The Dodge dealer is next door so I tell them Im going next door. Get to the Herb Chambers Dodge dealership, explain that I want a Caravan Sport (bucket seats) and that I've bought two cars there before and have a check in my pocket.

Their computer system is down so the salesman cannot tell what they have in inventory. We have to walk the lot, and it starts raining! Find two that have what we want, take the stock # and go back inside. I tell him to give me bottom line prices on the two and he says "I can only negotiate on one." So I pick the cheaper one.

He comes back with a price that is about $1,000 more than a good deal. I say thank you and stand up. The sales manager appears at my side as if by magic. He asks what's wrong and I tell him the price offered is not a good deal: I'm going to go buy the Toyota. His comment, "Well, we wanted to be sure you were serious." I replied, "I walked in the door, told you I'd purchased two cars there previously, knew what I wanted and had a bank check in my pocket. Then I walked the lot in the rain to find the vehicle. When, exactly, do you decide someone is 'serious?'"

So, fed up, I go back to the adjacent Ira Toyota dealer and ask for the salesperson. The two dudes at the door look at each other. "You better go talk to the Sales Manager." They'd fired the guy in the hour I'd been gone!

Convinced this was a sign, looked in the ads and found a two year old Caravan Sport, private sale, with new tires and brakes and all service records. Done.

Second place goes to Honda North. I email them about a specific Accord they have in stock on their website, a blue EX-L V6 with Navigation. "We don't have one in stock." I email him back the VIN shown and tell him I want a bottom-line price including any dealer fees. They quote me a price, which is in the ballpark. "Great, I'll bring you over a bank check this afternoon." "OK - total price is as-quoted plus a $395 dealer setup charge." WHAT? Look on CL, buy a two year old EX-L V6 with nav for $10,000 less.....