AAA/Toyota Dealer clash over dealers refusal of Price Guarantee

I have to agree with Octane on this.

While the dealer has final say in its prices, it's ultimately a shady business practice. Maybe the OP was backing into the deal deceptively, but the dealer is equally tricking their customers; by refusing the OP's AAA discount, the salespeople are hedging their bets that the the next customers to walk through the doors will pay the full price...and unfortunately, people (like many in here) will bend over backwards. So you see how the dealership is playing us too?

 

Yes, which is exactly why you'd would then use a Costco or AAA type program where the price formula is advertised and agreed upon.

 

Easy enough. Show me the advertisement on the internet that lists the price.

 

~Nevermind~

 

Give me your AAA number and I will. Thanks in advance. Otherwise, simply follow the instructions. Not sure you can, though, given your hardheadedness.

AAA Auto Club South - Auto Buying Service

(This is for my locale, Yours may differ.)

 

Sorry, don't see any Prius advertised on your link.

 

Really? After putting in your AAA number, you didn't see a Prius? Or do you think you don't have to be a AAA member to see the specially advertised AAA member price?

I'm done with you. You're a butthead.

 

I didn't accuse OP of misrepresenting anything. I called you out for your ad hominem against another respondent.

 

You totally ignore Diane Whitmires (who works for Toyota and SELLS Toyota's vehicles) description of how the relationship between Toyota and Sales Services such as AAA and Costco work. Applying instead your beliefs on how they "should" work, and applying some legal contractual bond that you "imagine" should exist between AAA and The Toyota Dealer.

Since even within the OP's original post, AAA apologizes and says they are allowing Toyota to remove Prius from their service...then I'm going with Diane's description of the relationship, and the REALITY of what happened.

You may continue to imagine there was some type of fraud or misrepresentation by the dealership. I think the OP was trying to leverage a deal, using AAA in a manner that it was NOT designed to be used...in retrospect.

End of Story.

 

The thing about contracts is that you can elect not to follow them. Granted, there can be negative financial and legal incentives for doing so. In this instance, AAA has decided not to enforce those disincentives against the dealership for not honoring their end of the agreement. Basically, they called AAA's bluff - and they blinked. Unfortunate, but it happens.

Of course, that brings up that you are also in a contract with AAA in regards to this. Their failure to honor their contract may be grounds for you to terminate yours without recourse from them - or opens them to potential financial and/or legal ramifications as deemed appropriate in your contract. I am not a lawyer, but perhaps a consultation with one might not be a bad idea, especially if this has cost you a significant financial hardship.

However, you might spend more money fighting the battle than the discount was originally worth.

 

Gee, if there would have been NO earthquake, and NO Tsunami, this thread would not even exist!

You should have bought the car a month ago!

Isn't it time to kill this thread????

 

Just for giggles, I went to the car buying service of Overstock.com, entered my zip code (11721) and got a price of $23,310 for a II, allegedly $500 less than MSRP. Here is the link: Overstock.com Cars | New Car Pricing

I then tried for a IV with ATP and ot a price of $32.453, $1,707 under MSRP. And yes, this is for the 2011.

 

Well yes, but additionally, what hasn't been focused on enough in this thread, is the difference between some John Doe trying to sell his used car, and an institution that should care something about its reputation for the sake of future transactions.

 

You're two local ad's are a more fairer comparison to each other, as ad's go. Now, do you really think you'll get a fairer price with the dealer who advertised a lower number on their website? The OTD door prices at each dealer will determine that.

 

ig the AAA give you a price and do not update the database is that not AAA fault?
so AAA needs to cutin and pay your the money you need to pay more for the car

 

Just about every contract has what is known as a force majeure clause - essentially covering major, unexpected events. A 9.0 earthquake followed by a 30 foot tsunami followed by a major nuclear event would be classified as such an event. While none of us (just assuming) have seen the contracts between AAA, the dealers and Toyota I'd bet that there is a force majeure clause.

As to your point about skipping out on payments if you loose your job - we all know that does not fly. But remember back a couple of years ago when the economic mess just started - Hyundai launched a program quite similar to what you mention - their assurance program allowed you to return your new Hyundai and walk away owing noting else. What is the difference - this was part of the contract.

So - it sounds like the OP did get a bit of a raw deal - not that the program was suspended due to the earthquake, but rather that he got such cruddy info. AAA and the dealership should have had their acts together and told him upfront about this. I guess it just shows what an extraordinary event the earthquake and aftermath was.

 

thoughts

A couple of thoughts.

It was mentioned that they were part of the AAA and ZAG and probably Costco? To be part of those programs, you really have to be a pretty decent store. We are also a Costco and ZAG/Truecar dealership.

The problem we are all faced with is that the entities that both offer our deals to the general public and calculate the invoices for our cars CAN AND DO MAKE ERRORS.

Seen it myself, been there, done that.
AND OF COURSE SINCE WE'RE THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE THE EXPERTS... we are seen as crooks.

Anyway, one issue we're experiencing is that when we exclude cars that are in high demand and don't want to discount, programs like these don't catch up... they are delaying that information being made available for several days sometimes. That isn't our fault as a dealer. It should be handled diplomatically at the sourse of the bad pricing: Costco, AAA, ZAG, whatever entity handled the initial request.

That's possibly where our thoughts may differ. I have many folks coming out of the woodwork with pricing I sent out late Feb and early March, when selling prices and lease calculations were better. That pricing won't work right now. That's a situation that some folks don't care for being in, and they bark at me. I bark back.

Dianne


Dianne