Bad experience at a car dealership...

LisaC

LisaC

I'm here to spin the moral compass.
Okay, you all know that I mentioned that I got the chance to drive a new Lexus SUV. Well, I'm back to reality and driving my car again. The new Lexus SUVs are way more money that I'm willing to spend on a new vehicle right now so I went Team Toyota in Lithia Springs to look at a Highlander on Saturday. Hubby met me there and we looked at a very nice 2011 Highlander Ltd. I was ready to buy if the price was right. So hubby made an offer and we left to go pick up the princess and get some lunch. Hubby and the sales manager finally agreed on a price and we were set. The princess was down for a nap so hubby sent me back to the dealership to get the paperwork started and he was going to come as soon as the princess was awake (he wanted a little nap too). I get to the dealership, ask to see the paperwork before I fill out the credit application and the price was $3,000 higher. When I told the salesman the numbers were wrong, he went to his sales manager and the guy had the audacity to tell me that he just couldn't sell it for the negotiated price.

I simply said "thanks, but no thanks" and walked out. When I called hubby to tell him not to bother coming down, he called the salesman to find out what was going on, the salesman said he had no idea and would call hubby right back. He's still waiting for that return phone call....

Stay away from that dealership - that type of behavior is just wrong!
 
If they agreed on a price and the refuse to sell it for that price, I'd be raising all kinds of he** in a loud and disturbing-to-other-potential-business voice. So many dealerships/car salesmen are so sleazy. I simply do not tolerate it. When I was looking for this temporary vehicle that I just bought I had the misfortune of having to talk to a number of used car salesmen. I made it painfully clear right up front that I knew what I was after, I knew what I was talking about, and I knew what I was paying. If they tried to play games with me at any point in the process we would be done ... don't care how much I may like a vehicle that they had. And I did walk out on a number of them.

Just because I'm looking for a used car, just because I'm a woman, just because there's no man there to "protect" me ... none of these mean that I am not 100% capable of protecting my own best interests and will do exactly that.
 
unionmom said:
And I did walk out on a number of them.

Just because I'm looking for a used car, just because I'm a woman, just because there's no man there to "protect" me ... none of these mean that I am not 100% capable of protecting my own best interests and will do exactly that.
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EXACTAMUNDO. Walking out is THE best response to that crap.
 
I bought my truck from there, but I set them straight right up front. I saw how they operate, and I told them if they wanted my business they had to bypass the bull and put me in direct contact with someone who could make decisions. They did, and I got my price.

All the "Team" dealerships are part of Auto Nation. I'm not real crazy about the concept; but they were the only Toyota dealer around who had the truck I wanted.
 
I bought a 1998 Camry, against my better judgement, from Marietta Toyota. I had such a bad experience with the dealer, it turned me against Toyota products for good. It looks like nothing has changed much with them.
 
Have I ever mention that I HATE CAR SALESMEN! That's why I drive the wheels off my vehicles so that I can avoid them as long as possible!
 
When we bought Daughter Reacher's car, I finally had to tell the guy that if he or anyone else mentioned an extended warranty again, I would immediately walk out. I HATE going through that process. The only decent experience I had that didn't literally make me tired was at Jasper Jeep and CarMax. You either pay the sticker price or not. No BS involved...
 
Jack Reacher said:
When we bought Daughter Reacher's car, I finally had to tell the guy that if he or anyone else mentioned an extended warranty again, I would immediately walk out. I HATE going through that process.
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I bought a Camry new in 2004 at Marietta Toyota, and while my experience was better than Callahan's, I got the HARD SELL on the extended warranty. I kept saying no, and he kept pushing it, and I finally said, "IT'S A CAMRY. You can't kill the dang things. I'm NOT buying your warranty, so stop talking about it." He finally shut up about it. But I'm going to employ Reacher's method from now on...just tell them no and if they keep it up, just tell them one more mention and I'm leaving.

Now, my mother did purchase an extended warranty on her certified used Mercedes a couple of years ago, because she'd never owned a Merc, and she wasn't comfortable not having it. (Daddy the car guru had already passed away by that time.) And turned out that it did pay for itself on something or other that did need fixing in the time/mileage period of the warranty. Not sure she'd pay for it again, though...she loves that car, and it's been one of the two best cars they've ever owned (the other was a '91 Lincoln Town Car).
 
Neither my husband or I are car people. We absolutely dread buying cars and having to deal with the salespeople.
 
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