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When Deals Go Sour

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Larry_R, Jun 14, 2007.

  1. Larry_R

    Larry_R Wryter

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    Two
    Well, my wife and I excitedly put down money for a Silver Pine Mica - OOPS - make that Pine Mica Silver, thanks to a wonderful PriusChat thread. . .
    We tried to get information from the sales-mope - but he wouldn't return phone calls or e-mails. After two weeks of frustration, I finally went into the dealership and gave the ultimatum: give us a VIN and expected arrival date, or give us our deposit back so we can go with a more reliable dealer.

    There was a lot of meeting and scowling and whatnot - but in the end an exceptionally ticked-off manager thrust a credit card reversal slip into my hand, told me to sign it, gave me a receipt, and ushered me out the door, with nothing more said. I now know what "being booted out" means. (grin)

    Well - good riddance of bad dealership - and I immediately phoned a sales-friend at Ft. Myers (FL) Toyota, with whom I'd worked before. the deal went through without a hitch, and I should be hearing very soon about the car we'd hoped to have by now - but don't.

    I learned one important thing from this: don't go only on the "money" aspects of the deal. Find a dealer you feel you can trust - and may have trusted in the past. Even if it costs you a bit more (we have to pay an extra $650) it's worth it to avoid aggravation and anger.

    A second glass of wine, please, dear wife. Ahhhhhh, much better.
     
  2. ystasino

    ystasino Active Member

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    Dealer you can trust? That's an oxymoron.
     
  3. Essayons

    Essayons Essayons

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jun 14 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]461744[/snapback]</div>
    20. Government Organization
    19. Alone Together
    18. Personal Computer
    17. Silent Scream
    16. Living Dead
    15. Same Difference
    14. Taped Live
    13. Plastic Glasses
    12. Tight Slacks
    11. Peace Force
    10. Pretty Ugly
    9. Head Butt
    8. Working Vacation
    7. Tax Return
    6. Virtual Reality
    5. Dodge Ram
    4. Work Party
    3. Jumbo Shrimp
    2. Healthy Tan
    1. Microsoft Works B)
     
  4. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Essayons @ Jun 14 2007, 11:30 AM) [snapback]461761[/snapback]</div>
    You forgot "Military Intelligence"
     
  5. SweetPri

    SweetPri New Member

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    That's the truth. I originally set out to find the best deal, but the salesman at the place where I could have probably got the best deal was so high pressure he turned my stomach into knots. Plus he drove like a mad man. I had started an relationship with another dealer via email and decided quickly that for me, it wasn't about haggling over the money, it was more about getting through the experience without a sour taste in my mouth.

    Very happy with the dealership I went through.
     
  6. AVOID92X

    AVOID92X Junior Member

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    The issue is they can't get the cars. They are SOLD OUT and everything coming in is already SOLD. I'm in the same boat as you. The dealer doesn't call back because they are too busy trying to close a real deal on an SUV. They can't get your money so they don't care.

    TOO BAD! Toyota can't provide product.

    Oh well, GM is selling a great 14.5 MPG Tahoe right now. EASY TO FIND THOSE POS!

    NEVERMIND, there isn't a market for Hybrids according to GM. :angry: :angry: :angry:
     
  7. Cocoatreat

    Cocoatreat New Member

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    if you are in florida, i do understand. when i was searching for my prius, i went to Kendall Toyota in Miami. online they give you one price, but when you get there, the same cars are marked up about $3-4K. also, they seemed so busy that no one would really wait on me. i was lucky. throughout my online search i ran upon Earl Stewart Toyota out of lake park, fla (west palm beach). i was truly amazed. after an inquiry, two weeks later they called me back. they had 17 new priuses coming in & did i want one ( i was 15 on the list). i didnt really get the color i wanted, but i got the package. later, that "red salsa" grew on me! i gave a deposit thru my credit card (which they never ran through). later, they quoted me a price along with a vin. they told me when to expect the car. they then held it for me, until my money came thru (1 1/2weeks later). when i got there, i was treated like a queen. they totally explained nearly every detail about the car. they werent pushy. And on top of that..... the price quoted to me was more, as the total price of the car was nearly $250 cheaper!!! never has anyone explained such details about a car than this... (this was my 6th car!) i wasnt rushed but just treated fairly. i would have to say that this was absolutely the best car buying experience i have ever had. i have since sent many friends & co-workers to Earl Stewart. when its time for me to buy a new prius... (& i will!) i will drive the 70+miles for their service! :)

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SweetPri @ Jun 14 2007, 04:01 PM) [snapback]461822[/snapback]</div>

    what dealer did you end up going thru? was it beaman or rivergate? i'm originally from the nashville area (brentwood)
     
  8. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    There ARE dealers you can trust. I give you Bobby Rahal Toyota.
     
  9. Larry_R

    Larry_R Wryter

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    Yeah, Earl Stewart has a very good reputation - though when I was still shopping around I sent in two e-mails to his dealership. Never got a reply. Hmm.

    I have now gone back to Ft. Myers Toyota, where salesman Bill Marx has become more than just a sales-mope - he's become a friend. Could I have got a better deal? Well, probably by a few hundred dollars - but after I inked the preliminary paperwork I got e-mails him and from the general manager welcoming me "back home."

    Their service department is good, and I speak from past experience there. Sorry I didn't just go back there in the first place. Lessons learned the hard way.
     
  10. Army5339

    Army5339 Member

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    I too am going through Ft. Myers Toyota. They seem to have their stuff together, which would explain why they are a successful dealership. Other dealerships seemed upset that I was even talking to them, and they frankly said that they can't compete with FMT, even with them being three hours away.
     
  11. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ Jun 14 2007, 02:05 PM) [snapback]461744[/snapback]</div>
    Thats simply not true. I have done business with numerous car dealerships that were very trustworthy.

    If you go around with an attitude like that, all you'll find are untrustworthy dealers.
     
  12. Larry_R

    Larry_R Wryter

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    Two
    Trustworthy? Car dealer? Well, I'm 71 years old and have purchased many cars in my decades on earth. Out of all the dealerships I've worked with, I'll list only four of them as truly "trustworthy."

    On Ft. Myers Toyota - I have several friends in the Naples/Ft.Myers/Sarasota area who swear by - not at - FMT. Let me tell you a little story.

    August, 2006 - my wife and I took delivery of a beautiful Camry V6. Next week, we went on a 4,000-mile trip for business and relative-seeing. The transmission had balked and slipped from the start, and FMT had inspected it, but had done nothing, because they said there was no Toyota order out on the tranny.

    On the vacation, my wife pulled out to pass a slow-moving truck - uphill grade in N.Carolina. As she got into the middle lane, with tons of traffic on our tail, the transmission suddenly went into neutral and the engine revved to redline. My wife panicked, and was able to get back into the slow lane, and onto the highway side.

    After that, the same type of thing happened dozens of times - and when we returned to Naples, the car went into the shop, and we began to scream for help. Things escalated to the point of arbitration with Toyots - when the FMT manager called and said he was refunding our money. And he did.

    What if he had not? Well - I was pursuing the Florida lemon law, and was in negotiation with Toyota Corporate in California. We knew, however, that it would take a long time to resolve. Meanwhile, we needed a car! OUrs was NOT safe to drive.

    We wound up buying a Honda Accord V6 - the larger engine because we were planning to move to North Carolina, where there are a lot of mountains.

    Well - we caved in when the house prices went into a tailspin - and decided to stay in Naples, to "go green" and to get a Prius.

    I've posted my problems with some dealers - and our final decision to return to FMT for the purchase. Aside from the suicidal transmission, the FMT shop has always done a great job - first, on my trusty old 1995 Camry, and later on the new "Camry from Hell." Sigh.

    I have no hesitation to recommend FMT, salesman Bill Marx, and the FMT service department. And they're not even giving me a free oil change for saying that! (double grin)
     
  13. Essayons

    Essayons Essayons

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Jun 15 2007, 09:53 AM) [snapback]462277[/snapback]</div>
    You are from the DC area so you must have heard of Rosenthal family of dealers. They are the WORST, high pressure and silly games in order to get the sale. I spent 4 hours in their Honda dealership with a friend who was going back and forth with the salesman and they still kept up the pressure after the close (trying to sell their financing deal after the courts gave them a 'cease and desist order') Haley of Richmond was OK, but they still tried to sell me a clearcoat and rustproofing to protect from salt in the winter :angry: (It snows once or twice a year here).
     
  14. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Essayons @ Jun 15 2007, 03:19 PM) [snapback]462491[/snapback]</div>
    Oh yes. I called on the management of Rosenthal several times when I was in the business trying to get them to let me help them with their customer retention issues (they have a lot of them) but they're just completely uninterested in customer service.

    So you all know, I used to own a company that created and designed customer retention programs for retail businesses, specifically car dealers. I have TONS of experience dealing with dealers and what we used to do was develop ways to increase dealers turnover of sales business to service business. When people find a good dealer, they will actually continue to buy that brand of car just for the dealer, this is even more effective with chains that sell multiple brands. Dealers make their money in service not sales, so dealers that do strong sales business but can't get those customers to come back for service have a problem.

    MOST car dealerships are honest fundamentally. You just have a poorly designed structure of pressure for volume being exerted down all the levels of management finally to the salespeople who they pay such a pittance to they're constantly starving for business. The pressue is enormous to produce, and they loose sight of a proper, business building structure.
     
  15. MaulWalker

    MaulWalker New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Essayons @ Jun 15 2007, 03:19 PM) [snapback]462491[/snapback]</div>
    Ah yes, the mention of Rosenthal still makes my blood boil. In 1995, I was in the market for an Accord. I went to Rosenthal first and the salesman told me to come back with my husband and he would talk to him about a car. Not being married, I was super ticked. I ended up buying from Brown's in Arlington - great buying experience, no silly "market adjustment" added to the price, and an excellent service department
     
  16. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    HAHAHA Thats funny.

    Brown's is an excellent chain...
     
  17. SweetPri

    SweetPri New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MaulWalker @ Jun 15 2007, 05:20 PM) [snapback]462618[/snapback]</div>
    This just floors me. :angry: Glad you had better results elsewhere.
     
  18. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    You should see the look on a sales force's faces when you tell them thats not alright, its priceless.

    Me: What do you think you did wrong in that exchange?

    Salesman: I didn't get her husbands number!

    Me: You're fired

    LOL