Pure Dirty Salesmanship! Marina Del Rey Toyota

[Barcelona Red Lass]

Originally Posted by Tech_Guy

In a free enterprise economy, the world is an auction. If someone is willing to pay a premium price for a product or service to get it immediately, then let him/her do it.

Unfortunately in business (and life) people do not always behave in a rational manner. When a person gets emotional about a business transaction, they usually end up paying more than if they were not emotional about the business deal.

Keith

So are you justifying daddy's little boy going around the waiting list (with people on it who have paid a deposit- because that's how the waiting list works) so that he can make a couple grand for his own pocket by overcharging someone too rude to take their own turn on the list?

I'm all for free enterprise, but when rules have been established they should be followed- especially by the group that set up said rules.

[Barcelona Red Lass]

Originally Posted by prius2010

I have a Prius on order at this dealer, so I called and talked to the manager Kamal. He was very nice and explained that they are having a large amount of cancellations because of customers ordering at multiple dealers. Their cancelled rate he said is about 1/2. Although they call the next people on the list, he explained how complex it is. There are 5 packages of Prius in LA area and 8 colors, therefore 40 combinations. And because most people want what they want. Sometimes a car becomes available to the newer people on the list. Also he explained that the dealer is rewarded for selling cars faster and they lose "allocation?" if they dont sell the car for a couple of days. So after the person who the car was ordered for decides to pass on the Prius, they contact the next 15 people. If however it is not a color/package match for any of these people, the car becomes available for sale. Brandon is one of the sales people with enough courtesy to advise and stay in contact with someone, not making them drive to the dealer for a car that they cannot buy. I have a package 6 on order, and I have been called for different packages and really did not understand why. Now I know.

I understand the process for wait list orders, because when we bought our Prius we wanted what we wanted and called 4 dealerships to find who had it and/or who could get it. Of course, this was last year before the big push, and there were no wait lists at the time.

If they are going to have wait lists they need to do what they're doing- call the people on the list and see if anyone is willing to take what the dealership has arriving. If none of their customers on the waitlist want it, THEN I could see advertising exactly what they have so that customers could come in to buy. But this Craigslist auction reads like a "come-on" and like the salesman is dissing the wait list people to sell cars to the highest bidder. No, it's not illegal, but it is highly unethical and any dealer that allows their sales people to do that for ANY REASON should expect the bad "carma" (hehehe) of people on the wait list suddenly deciding not to buy from that dealer any more.

[Schunken]

In US you can cancel your Order?

What is this?

The day you sign the order contract her in germany you have to take the car and pay it the day it arrives....!!!

Order is Order, no way out..ok maybe one...you die in delivery process...


If you here make multiple orders at different dealers you will end with 5 cars

Andreas

[Barcelona Red Lass]

Originally Posted by Schunken

In US you can cancel your Order?

What is this?

The day you sign the order contract her in germany you have to take the car and pay it the day it arrives....!!!

Order is Order, no way out..ok maybe one...you die in delivery process...


If you here make multiple orders at different dealers you will end with 5 cars

Andreas

Andreas, here the "order" on the wait list is a way for the dealer to get $5000 U.S. of your money into their pockets without actually having to give you the car, and the wait for the car can be several months. Several months when you've paid money for a car you don't have, and may not get anytime soon.

[Barcelona Red Lass]

To be even more specific, there is the "order" where you request a specific package, color, options, etc. and sign a contract for that specific car.

Then there's the "wait list" where you pay to sit there and wait for a car with your specifics to come in to the dealership.

If I understand the process, the "order" means you've signed a contract and start making car payments every month (unless you pay up front the total amount) and with the wait list you put down a deposit and hope the dealership gets a car in with what you want on it before they "lose" your paperwork proving you've made a deposit but not yet received a car. I suppose some dealerships do not take a deposit, which would basically just make the wait list a "wish" list of potential owners, who, since they have not paid any money out, do not have any obligation to buy anything from the dealer.

[prius2010]

Originally Posted by Barcelona Red Lass

So are you justifying daddy's little boy going around the waiting list (with people on it who have paid a deposit- because that's how the waiting list works) so that he can make a couple grand for his own pocket by overcharging someone too rude to take their own turn on the list?

I'm all for free enterprise, but when rules have been established they should be followed- especially by the group that set up said rules.

When I ordered my Prius, they did not take a deposit. I called Kamal back and he said that was the company policy. They do not need the money until I pick up the car. He did say that he has more orders that are cancelled because of that reason. I relayed my concern about this chat and he look up my statis and I my car is on its way from Japan a Black Touring.

[Barcelona Red Lass]

Originally Posted by prius2010

When I ordered my Prius, they did not take a deposit. I called Kamal back and he said that was the company policy. They do not need the money until I pick up the car. He did say that he has more orders that are cancelled because of that reason. I relayed my concern about this chat and he look up my statis and I my car is on its way from Japan a Black Touring.

Ah, well I guess the dealerships have the leeway to either take money or not, then, with an order.

If I owned a dealership I'd want to have money when I received an "order"- because that would cement the deal, but would not take any money from wait list customers.

[Schunken]

Ahhh...

...so "order a car" is not sign an contract that you definately have to take it?

Here in germany you also have to wait for your "customized" car 3 month...

...but they have "pool-cars"... this mean:

The Prius here only have 3 models...Basic, Sol, and Executive. And sure the colour you want.

But with every delivery of toyota it has "Pool-Cars" in a "grey-metallic (here call "Mica") and the car is "Sol-model" means aircondition and tempomat"

If you sign a contract for this "Pool-Version" delivery time (when I order) was around one month only...

So maybe the delivery time in US is also so long because they be "multiple orders" ???

Andreas

[PriusSport]

Definitely proof that the surge is working. LOL.

[Barcelona Red Lass]

Originally Posted by Schunken

Ahhh...

...so "order a car" is not sign an contract that you definately have to take it?

Here in germany you also have to wait for your "customized" car 3 month...

...but they have "pool-cars"... this mean:

The Prius here only have 3 models...Basic, Sol, and Executive. And sure the colour you want.

But with every delivery of toyota it has "Pool-Cars" in a "grey-metallic (here call "Mica") and the car is "Sol-model" means aircondition and tempomat"

If you sign a contract for this "Pool-Version" delivery time (when I order) was around one month only...

So maybe the delivery time in US is also so long because they be "multiple orders" ???

Andreas

Not sure, Andreas. It sounds like we have more choices than you do, which may be why they give us more freedom with the "ordering" process.