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Take over my #2 spot on the Prius list in St. Louis

Discussion in 'Private Sales' started by gwirtel, Sep 25, 2004.

  1. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    I am number 2 on the waiting list in St. Louis at Feld Toyota, and due to some financial problems, I need to cancel my order. The only problem I am having is that Feld will not refund my $1,000 deposit, even after telling me they would when I got on the list. Stupidly, I did not get that in writing, and they refuse to refund it. So, if someone want to move to the number 2 spot on the list, email me at [email protected] to discuss how this would be handled. The way I see it, it would only help someone not already on a list, since the person taking my place would be paying the deposit instead of me. What I ordered was a package #4 in Salsa red, but I will be offered whatever comes in when I am # 1 on the list.
     
  2. JHartman

    JHartman New Member

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    It is my personal opinion that you should call corporate Toyota and complain about the dealer not giving you your deposit back instead of switching it with someone else. I'm sure you will get your money back pretty quick. Besides the fact that I do not beleive positions should not be traded, sold, or given away, who is to say that the person who gets your spot will be treated in the same manner by the dealer.
     
  3. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    I have contacted Toyota Corporate and am waiting for a response. I am not hiding how Feld treated me. If someone, knowing how the treated me ,wants to take my place, am I supposed to play Mom to them and not allow it so they may not get harmed? How about the people behind me? Should I try to find out all of there names and warn them? At what point do you say that they are adults, they make decisions, and I respect that ? Positions are just that, positions. They are not static, and change on their own. I am just wanting to get out of my position, so how does that hurt anyone? The people behind me are still in the same place, no one is moved back to make room for my replacement. To expect me to simply take the $1000 loss so that nobody gets ahead of the guy behind me is silly.
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i agree you should not sell your position... you would be no better than dealers charging $2000 over MSRP.

    if you are not getting your deposit back i suggest you contact your state attorney general, the local paper, your congressman and everyone you can determine is also waiting for a car.
     
  5. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    I have $1000 invested in a deposit which I, so far, cannot get back. How is someone else taking ownership for the same $1000 "no better than dealers charging $2000 over MSRP. "? I am not asking for profit, just someone to take my spot. This whole concept of being in a position in line so do not get out no matter what is just silly to me. Why is my losing my deposit because I can no longer afford to buy the car so important to other people? Should I just be out the money ? I am not trying to make a profit, I just do not want to lose $1,000. Get it? No harm to others, someone simply buys the car I cannot. Get it?
     
  6. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    I think there is some misunderstanding, maybe based on another PC member who was trying to SELL his #1 position for profit at 1 dealer after he got a car at another. His deposit was refundable.

    gwirtel is just trying to recover the $1000 deposit the dealer refuses to return. Is it even legal in MO for the dealer to keep your deposit if you don't buy a car? In this case, the dealer is out nothing. I could see it if they special ordered something then you decided not to take it after it arrived and no one else would want it. You might want to call the MO Attorney General's office and ask.
     
  7. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    So far, I have contacted Toyota Customer Care,(they will investigate and get back to me within 3 days), the Better Business Bureau (they will investigat and get back to me within 30 days), the Mo Attorney General Consumer Protection Devision(emailed me forms, fill them out, mail back, wait), the Mo Department of Revenue Car Dealer Crime Investigation Unit (fax me form, fill out, mail back), and this afternoon will contact the local TV station consumer advocate. If none of this works, I still will have a need to get my refund back, and to me the only way of doing that is by having someone else take my place for the same car I am waiting on, at my cost.
     
  8. JHartman

    JHartman New Member

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    But you are knowingly trying to put someone else in the same position. They give you $1000 and they supposedly get on the list. What if they find another car, or decide they don't want it, or whatever. They are then struggling to get back the $1000 that is under your name. Or what if they dealer decides not to honor your place being held by them? It appears to me that this is not a good solution to your problem.
     
  9. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    Certainly not the best solution and as you point out the dealer might not go for it. On the other hand, if there is no other way, and the dealer will honor it, the person getting involved is on a short list and are less likely to be hit with 'sudden unforseen' circumstances. Not necessarily a bad deal if they aren't a "this color, this interior, this package only" buyer. It is line jumping and I wouldn't approve of it except in this specific cricumstance.

    In any case, a bit of bad press for this dealer would be a good thing. They run a shabby business if they won't give back a deposit on a "there is someone on the list that will be HAPPY to take it" Prius.
     
  10. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    The difference is, and I don't know how to make this any clearer, they would know up front that the deposit was not refundable, and I did not. They would go into the deal knowing, as an adult, that they were entering into a binding deal, and would not be able to get money back. If they were able to accept that, it is not my job to play Mom and help save them from their decisions.
     
  11. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I just have to say that your concept of ethics is far different from mine. You know this dealer to be unreasonable and to not stand by his word. You don't know if he would honor your selling of your place to someone else. Yet you'd willingly accept someone else's money to "take your place" knowing that the taking of that place may not even be possible.

    I just don't think that's right any way you slice it. You should do what you need to do to get your money back from your dealer.

    Over on PriusOnline I made several suggestions to you. It seems you've pursued a few, but I've seen no mention of you actually going to the dealership and face to face speaking with the VP or someone in a place of power nor have you mentioned demanding to see where it states in your "contract" that the deposit is non-refundable. Further the issue to whether there is an actual contract is still pretty fuzzy b/c they can't contract with you to sell you something that doesn't exist....if they didn't give you a VIN and can't produce the exact vehicle (color, package, year) you 'contracted' for then there is no contract.

    Faced with those facts and the threat of legal action I'm quite certain they'll refund your money. Unless they can, indeed, show you where you signed stating that your deposit is non-refundable. In which case you're SOL.
     
  12. gwirtel

    gwirtel New Member

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    Simply because I did not tell you every single step I have done, that does not mean I have not done them. Once again you are making decisions based on nothing but conjecture, You somehow assume I would allow someone to take over my place without me first finding out if that was even possible. How you determined this information, I can't figure, but far be it from me to tell the great and mighty efusco what to think. Please continue making wild guesses and accusations, it is great fun to watch someone blather on about my lack of morals, putting other people in danger, etc. I love the simplistic "You should do what you need to do to get your money back from your dealerĂ¢â‚¬ posted by efusco.
    Its great. Gosh, why didn't I think of that? I just need to get my money back from the dealer. Simple, to the point, unfortunately, at this point, impossible, except in efusco world where the impossible is simply waved away like an annoying gnat. Do not expect me to give a blow by blow of my dealing with Feld Toyota over this issue. Simply accept that I am not evil, I am being done dirty, I will not do someone else dirty simply to get my money, I have never deliberately screwed anyone for any reason and I don't intend to start now, and all of these silly accusations based on nothing have gotten ridiculous. I realize that this post will bring on other fear filled comments, since this site seem to be filled with people who are convinced that adults should be shielded from making decisions, even with all facts, and that any attempt to get out of my Prius order is somehow sinister, therefore making me into some sort of uncaring person with little or no morals. Come into the real world, where grown people sometimes make decisions that might seem scary to others. The world where, given enough information, adults live there whole lives without ever once asking efusco for help. It is a wonderful place. Hey, the sun is shining here.
     
  13. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    ok i am not concerned with whether you are charging for your position or not. the fact is, someone (or several people most likely) is on the list behind you and they did it by signing up probably a long time ago. they have demostrated patience in waiting and if you decide at the last minute to get out of line, then you should give your car to next person in line. no ifs ands or buts

    now your issue with your deposit is between you and the dealer.

    by selling your place in line, you screw over everyone in the line behind you, are in a position to give preference to someone who shouldnt get it, and by also trying to minimize the impact of your lack of planning.

    it sounds to me that you have decided at the last second that you can not afford it and i be willing to bet that you have been mulling this thought over for quite a while.

    i say you have done without the deposit this long, then do without it a little longer. i find it nearly impossible to believe that the only way you can recover your deposit is the method you have chosen.

    work the system. there is no reason to screw over everyone who have waited patiently for their car. also , with the problems you are having with the dealer, i think you are fooling yourself if you think the dealer will even let you sell your place in line.
     
  14. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Sorry you feel picked upon, that's not been my intent and I think you'll be hard pressed to show that I've accused you of anything beyond my first post at PriusOnline...afterwhich I gave an apology. I don't expect you'll be giving me one after your nasty tirade.

    Still, although you are, certainly, under no commitment to give a 'blow by blow' of every detail you've been quite descriptive of many of the lengths you've gone to leaving one to assume that the other omissions must be because you haven't done them. I made many suggestions trying to help you resolve your problem. You've taken them completely otherwise. I think that's a shame.

    I do think you owe proof positive that the offer you've suggested here of selling your place on the list has been definatively approved by this already proven dirty dealer. You've not stated one time what guarantee the dealer's given to you that what you proposed is even doable.

    Thus, you set yourself up for speculation. Did I have to choose to speculate? No, it's my perogative. Might it help others in the future who might suffer from the same issues you are? Maybe, even if you choose not to.

    Will the world go on without efusco...yup. I've not problem with that.