My 2014 Rogue Buying Experience

[faithntim]

I decided to get a 2014 Rogue last fall...pretty much the day they were announced. I drove a 2005 Murano, then 2008 Altima, then 2011 Juke. So I'm a Nissan fan. Loved the Juke but wanted more cabin space, especially in the backseat.

I discovered that my Juke was worth much more than the end-of-lease residual value--like by $3,600. But I couldn't get my local dealer to recognize that. I said, "no problem--I'll just sell it." And I began to walk out. They then suddenly offered me $2,000 for a trade-in. I said, "Thanks but no thanks, I can get more for it." Then they suddenly came up to $3,600 trade-in value.

Mission accomplished.

However, when the new car finally came in--I couldn't see where the trade-in value was actually benefitting me. I visited the dealership 3 different times trying to see the paperwork. They wouldn't show me. They finally said they would fax it to me. But then they didn't. I needed to come back in to see it. So I went back in to meet with the Finance Guy. But at first, he wouldn't show me either. He just had numbers scribbled on paper. I said, "Show me the paperwork!" He asked if I wanted to see the mileage disclosure paperwork. I said, "Obviously not, I want to see the papers you will be asking me to sign." Finally he printed it off.

My trade-in value did not show up anywhere on the paperwork. Over the next 40 minutes with three different people leaving and returning to the office 5x -- I heard these statements...

"These formulas are too complicated to understand."
"I can't show you where the value of your trade-in shows, just take my word for it..."
"There are only 3 people in the world who understand these forms."

I also asked where the "introductory pricing" was that Nissan promised when I signed up in October. They said there was no such pricing. Later they said it was whatever price they chose to set below MSRP.

It was a really frustrating encounter. They finally agreed their numbers were wrong, and my trade-in showed up. My stubbornness ultimately got a $3,600 trade-in that they weren't going to give me -- plus another $1,200 off the price that had added in but couldn't explain. I also got the $249 "theft prevention" taken off that I didn't ask for and didn't want.

I will be picking up the car (SL-AWD + Premium in Graphite Blue w/ Almond Leather) on Monday (assuming they don't change the paperwork again). But this will be the last business I ever do with this dealer. I lost a couple years of life trying to negotiate with them.

[GoingGoingGoneRogue]

Were you leasing or buying? If you're leasing, check out leaseguide.com and buy the kit, think it's 19.95, it's been so worth it for all of my leases - has saved me over 1,000 to 2,000 on my leases so far. Explains all the in's and out's of leasing and what pitfalls and traps to avoid. Good luck!