Dealer Scam

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Here is an article about dealers scamming consumers with the kbb site.
Dealer Kelly Blue Book Scam how prevailant is this? Have you seen this before? :x :x :x
Has your dealership ever done this? be truthful :shock:

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no

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no?

That's it? could you expound on it a little? you're making me a little nervous with your answer. The laughing icon didn't sit too well either. I don't mean to be rude, but it almost makes me think you were being sarcastic, and laughing at me! I tried it, it really does make a huge difference.

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intelbunny wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")no?

That's it? could you expound on it a little? you're making me a little nervous with your answer. The laughing icon didn't sit too well either. I don't mean to be rude, but it almost makes me think you were being sarcastic, and laughing at me! I tried it, it really does make a huge difference.

I don't think that was the case at all. r-r WAS a dealer until recently - having just retired.

Yes it does make a difference and probably several people here have been caught by it at one time or another. That is why it is so important to check all the numbers YOURSELF before you go shopping.

Tell you what I found interesting was #2 on the list!!!! I ragged about this one not too long ago here on the forum. It is a BIG scam!!

Oh yes - welcome to the forum!!!!

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Those are some pretty simple scams! I'd say that it bothers me that dealers get involved in anything dishonest, but these aren't the kind of scams that catch the smart consumer, only the ones that are caught off guard.

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no I was not making fun of you. I simply answered your question. I meant no offense in any way. sorry if it seemed that way. I use that icon most of the time by the way. It is built into my signature so it posted it automatically. if you check my posts you will see it a lot. You are reading way too much in it. I just never had it happen and I never did it to any one. Seemed best to leave it at that but I apparently offended you which was not my intention at alls. I went back to my signature and changed it to smile to avoid this happening again. It posts it automatic and I have used for four months without offending anyone that I know of but hopefully this will avoid any confusion intelbunny wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")no?

That's it? could you expound on it a little? you're making me a little nervous with your answer. The laughing icon didn't sit too well either. I don't mean to be rude, but it almost makes me think you were being sarcastic, and laughing at me! I tried it, it really does make a huge difference.

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wow, good info, i always read fine print on contracts but i wouldn't have thought to look for the zip code trick, thanks

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Sorry, RR, I didn't realize the smiley was in your signature. :oops: I've just been burnt by so many dealers in the past I guess I'm a little gun shy, my bad. :wink:

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No problem. Welcome to the forum

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Moved thread to Polls (from Dear Honda)

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colorider wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")Moved thread to Polls (from Dear Honda)

Thanks, didn't even realize it was a poll! 8)

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I always check my car's values on Kelly and Edmunds at te same time. The numbers are usually pretty close. Just remember that the more informed you are when you walk into the dealership, the less likely it is you will get ripped off.

www.kbb.com
www.edmunds.com

Sorry you got ripped off, but maybe you should post who did it to you so we can avoid that dealer. Maybe you can send them the link, so they see what bad publicity they are getting because of it. You might even get a call from the GM.

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From the all too many cars I have purchased (dont even want to think about it)
:shock:

I research everything about the rig, PRIOR to going to the dealership.
I know what my car is worth and what I am willing to accept for that.
I know what invoice on the new rig is and MSRP and how much margin they have.

Normally (and what I did for my Wife's Ridge) I already did all the #s etc so I knew what I was willing to do payment wise. Why I use the internet for sales, I know what I want and ready to close the deal, dont need some song and dance high pressure sales (I was in the US Army Recruiting command for a bit, I know about tough product to sell!) I got the wife's ridge for like 100-200 over invoice, where all dealerships were MSRP at least if not $1500 Pacific North Wet market gotcha markup.
:lol:
So, I just tell em, this is what I want, here is my trade and this is my payment #, if you can do this, we have a deal, I have a bank draft from my CU, if not, I understand, its all business, nothing personal, I walk. Normally do most of this through email (less trade in evaluation) with the internet manager ahead of time.
Two vehicles ago, the dealership even gave me more on trade on my car, after they saw it, it was in such great shape, and they sold it that night when I drove my new rig off the lot.

So, thats just me, I do all my research, # crunching etc before and ready to deal. I also have a rule that I never purchase anything first time I drive it, ever, no "impulse" buys. I have the KBB and NADA and auto trader retails for the exact trade, so no surprises.

good luck!

HR
8)

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No impulse buying!! What's this world coming to? What's the fun in it if it's not on impulse....geeeesh! Let's get real here, we all have extra money in our pockets and the car dealers have a 'right' to get every last freakin' cent! Who do we think we are researching and negotiating until we get a fair deal? Holy cow!

I'm just glad I don't have to do the same thing for my weekly grocery shopping.....8)

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The scams on the front page are deplorable. At my dealership we don't do any of this stuff. Some of the stuff on the second page is called being a salesperson. It is our job to show you the features, advantage and benefit of our product and to get you to buy it. We teach the word tracks but to be used in a non-confrontational way. We find that a lot of people want to buy a car they came to buy a car and just get really nervous and scared that they are not going to make a good decision. With talking to the people the right way and not being deceptive people just need to be asked to buy.

This article makes all salespeople sound like crooks and thieves, some of us really are not bad people. Some are really bad and greedy but not most of us. Some people think we are horrible and rude because they come in with a chip on their shoulder and treat us like crap so we blow them off and go onto people that aren't going to be jerks.

I know everyone wants to get a great deal and nobody want to pay anything for the product or service but wants top notch service, which makes it hard to make a living. If you come in knowledgeable, and don't act horribly toward the dealer you can get a good deal. If you go in to do nothing but bust the dealer and the salesperson and then take the number and shop it all over and beat everyone up and not have some mutual respect then you probably won't get much in return.

I know this is a long rant but I will leave you with this small story. We have a client that came in and was for the lack of a better term a jerk. They don't want to give us an opportunity other than best price, we try to be nice and show the value of the product and the store but all they want is best price. I give them a price and hope they leave, after some more rudeness about how all salespeople are crooks they leave. They continue to shop a couple of other dealers and then try to work all of us against one another by phone. I finally decide this isn't worth it and told the salesperson to move on. Client bought the car elsewhere - no problem but they come here for service which is great, the part I have a problem with is they always want the sales department to go out of our way to lend them a car so they can go shopping (something we do for good clients). Our service department has a few loaners but not all of the time. When I tell the client we can't help them they get all mad and want to know why others get a loaner or get a little "extra" (we wash every service car but the sales people will go back and do the inside windows or put a little wax on the car or ....) Why would we do it for them when all we got was no sale and no respect.

Again sorry for the long rant and I am sure I am going to get blasted... I'm ready.

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There's no real difference with buying/selling cars than with any other kind of business except for some of the preconceived notions that people have -- and I'm talking about salespeople and customers. Salespeople tend to believe that they can get people to spend more money that the person ever wanted to spend, and the salesperson will typically do whatever is necessary to get them to do so. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just perceived as bad because the customer typically figures he or she is entitled to a rock-bottom deal. The customer who has a chip on his or her shoulder is doing nothing more than hurting their chances of getting a good deal. However, when there are salespeople out there who would take advantage of their own mothers, and customers who would let it happen so long as they get a good deal, then we will always have problems boiling up between the two sides. I can't blame either side for the current situation, just keep in mind that the situation exists and live within the parameters. Buying a car with a chip on your shoulder is not going to get you a good deal. Selling a car when you don't know the first thing about it isn't going to get you a sale. Somewhere in between are the perfect customer and the perfect salesperson!

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There are bid-shoppers out there. And that is their right. However, how a dealer or a customer conduct themselves during the process is the measure of respect afforded. The most sucessful dealership I know of is populated by personnel who treat customers as business partners who's mutual success as buyers and sellers are assured through disclosure and support. Having said that, there are vultures out there on both sides.

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Well put, drmay! 8)