Dealer scamming or something else?

The dealer would be able to move you down a list on a computer just as easily as with a stack of paper and you'd still never know.

 

If there's a paper stack, it's almost certainly in the possession of the manager and the manager is going to be the one to rearrange it. He'll take the interests of his salespeople into account or not, according to his own criteria.
Doubtless, a computer waiting list would also be accessable only by the manager for just the reasons you cited.
You're just not going to be able to squeeze accountability out of a car dealership. <_<

 

You might want to investigate getting your deposit back, if they have poor customer service when you are trying to buy a car think of what it might be like later on? I would suggest trying to find a dealer that doesn't take deposits, deposits on cars just protect the dealer anyway, they do nothing to protect you, the customer.

As far as waiting lists go I know some dealers don't use them the way you might think they do. When I bought my Prius last Sept the dealer had a waiting list that was several pages long, they showed it to me. My car was suppose to go to the guy on the top of the list but when they called him he said he wanted to wait for an '06. So instead of calling the next guy on the list they sold it to me because I was standing there with money in my pocket, I wasn't even on their list. But the salesman I was talking to wasn't the salesman for the next few people on the list either.

Would I buy another car from this dealer? sure why not? They treated me right and they have a good service department as far as I know. Would I give them a deposit or down payment to get on their list? not in this lifetime. and I wouldn't give any other car dealer a deposit either

 

The telephone is a wonderful tool. I purchased my Prius last April from Hollywood Toyota in LA after being on a waiting list at my local dealership for weeks. The local guy was nice enough, but kept calling me and saying "It'll be another two weeks". This went on for six before I finally began calling every Toyota dealer within about 500 miles.

Hollywood Toyota had gotten a shipment in the previous night, and had a black package six with a grey interior on the lot that didn't have anyone's name on it yet. I bought it over the phone, and flew down that afternoon. The dealer picked me up at the airport, drove me back to do the paperwork, and I drove the car home that night (up to Lake Tahoe... a little under 500 miles). Flights are reasonably cheap, especially if you are going to a large, competitive city (like Phoenix, Vegas, or LA). Don't agree on a sale until you call the airlines and make sure you can get there inexpensively, though.

The only downside was that I paid about .25% more sales tax than I would have in Nevada, but it seemed like a good trade off. I also paid for a flight, but those are fairly cheap. The dealer recognized that I was paying a little extra and came down about $250 under MSRP on the price... this was at a time when most Prii were going for at or over MSRP.

This isn't an endorsement of Hollywood Toyota, although they are worth calling in my opinion. Rather, this is an endorsement of not going to your local dealer if they seem not to be responsive. Call around the southwest... there are lots of Toyota dealers out here, and you might find one that has exactly what you want in inventory right now.

Besides, you'll get to play with all the gadgets driving it home!

Dan

 

I second the recommendation to change dealers. I had an appointment with Carlsbad Toyota for a test drive. There were two cars on lot and a shipment coming in. After my test drive I was sold and wanted to "get on the list". While looking at what was coming in I said that I wanted one like the Salsa #6 that was out back. The folks who had it on hold lost their loan that Friday and this was Monday morning. I rode off in my SalsaWonder less than 2 hours later.

Really cover your bases. Phone and on-line services may be much more productive for you. That dealership you are working for sounds poorly organized and not person centered. You are still the person with the $$, you should be treated better even if it is a Prius you are waiting for.

 

Is there a reason you haven't posted it here in the Private Sales forum? By my observation, it seems to get a pretty good response.

Be sure to put things like price flexibility in your posting.

 

Jeez magicguy... get with the program. Slip the salemanager a Jackson and get moved to the top of the list.

Palm oil, son... good ol' fashioned palm oil. Get's 'em everytime.

 

I do not think the waiting list really works as it soppose to.
I visited only 2 toyota dealers at November, (of course I made phone contacts with lots of dealers before my visit, but finally chose these two because they are closer), then, I put $100 deposit on one, which promised me he can get one for me most likely in January, no late than February. But for the second one, they told me they have a long waiting list, so, I just left without paying deposit, but I did give him the number and told him when the car is here, call me and I would be happy to buy it ASAP. But since I did not pay deposit, I was not in the waiting list.

But around December 10th, the second dealer called me, and told me at least a silver #7, and a black #5 is coming and would be here before Christmas, and asked if I wanted it. But I have to put $1000 deposit, otherwise, the car will go to some guy in the waiting list. So, I said why not, but only one condition, I would not pick the car before January 1st. The dealer agreed, and after 5 minutes talk on the phone, he even gave me $100 off MSRP. As he promised, I made payment at January 2nd, and drove the car back home at January 5th (I could have picked up the car earlier, but I was busy those days).

So, the lesson I learned is, the dealer just want to get the money as soon as possible, they do not care who is in the list. If you give him the money, you get the car immediately, no waiting. I was not in their waiting list, but I got the car firstly!

Do visit or call you dealer more often, that is important.

 

A dealer can also offer a used car warrantee.
(Yours may have a transferrable warrantee. I didn't check.)

 

In the same vein, I turned down a car right before the new year as I wanted to get the tax credit. So now my sales dude is saying that he may have some coming in this weekend that "are not spoken for" One would think I was high on the list if they offered me a car last month, but now evidently there are people ahead of me. If I dont get one of the cars coming in I may be a bit pissed.