SURVEY: Your least favorite part about buying from a dealer?

[SHIFT_COUPE]

Another point on VIN Etching....

I bought my second Altima Coupe from the same dealer, in fact my family and I have purchased 7 or so cars from them over the years. All purchases from them have ultimately been fine. The day I was headed down there to take delivery it was all shined up and ready to go, parked out front. I noticed on the windows that there was no VIN etching, I said to myself "Yes! I don't have to bother fighting with them about not wanting it."

We get into the room with the finance manager to sign all the paperwork. She gets to the VIN Etching document and explains what it is. I just looked at her with a straight face and said "I don't want VIN etching". She replies, "Well I'm sorry but it came from the factory with etching and you have to pay for it". I said "Go take a look there is no etching on that car out there." BAM! What a dumbass. You can tell she got upset, picked up the phone, turned red and verified that the etching wasn't there. She crumpled up the form and threw it in the trash.

Anyway, that is my least favorite part. Paying for stuff that is not needed and getting hit for "extras" on the way out the door.

[IBCoupe]

Yours was a double-whammy. Not only did you not want it, but you didn't get it and they tried to get you to pay for it.

[wingFeather]

Paying for stuff that is not needed and getting hit for "extras" on the way out the door.

This has only happened to me at Nissan/Infiniti dealerships... at least the strong arm approach. I've never been bullied & manipulated into paying for pinstriping/etching/Scotchguarding/polymer waxing at any other marque's showrooms.

Much like your story, I was told (after I had given them my trade in's title) that I had to pay an extra $1,000 for prep. I went outside to show the salesman that their was no prep, no pinstripe... and no sticker on the window mentioning the surcharge. He made me pay half or the deal was off (and I had no way home since they played games with my trade). In hindsight, I should have called the police... but seriously, should that be a necessity when buying a $25,000 product???????????????????

For some reason Nissan like to try & butt-rape it's customers, which is why I will NEVER buy another new Nissan product again!!! Calls to management, attorney general, BBB & Nissan corporate were a waste of time.

[Solar_Runner]

I HATE it when your sales person can not drive a MT! I had one drive off the lot (before I could get behind the wheel) and I swear, he took 10,000 miles off of the life of the clutch! I was like "I'm NOT buying this one!"

I was looking at a GTi in the mid 90s. I stood there and watched as 2 sales ladies just about got into knock-down, drag out over who's customer I was (it's not like I'm that hot. LOL...).

Recently, I asked to drive a Cube S. They brought me a basic and sort of tried to pass it off... I'll never go back there.

The Good - In Minot, North Dakota. I was gonna buy a 323 Mazda. It was SOLID red and had a 1,100 miles on it (demo, owners wife drove it for a while). They let me have it for the weekend. I brought it back Monday night and told them I liked it, but, too much red. They pin striped it for free. I also bitched about the 1,100 miles, so they threw in 5 oil changes. Then they sold me a in dash clock and a right side mirror at cost for me to add to the car. They also told me that when ever it was dirty, just bring it in, they'd get it washed for me. There's just something about the good people at a Northern Tier Base (city).

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^ That sounds amazing. Did you write them a thank you note? Jesda would... hell, Jesda would probably write to the local paper and Mazda corporate

[Solar_Runner]

I don't even try to reach the levels that Jesda can, I'd fail...

[Ozzie]

I love these stories of crappy dealers!
Keep 'em coming!

It's almost like a guide on what to look out for when buying from a dealer.

I'm enough of a bastard that I would use this info against them in a sale to either;
1) Make them cry.
2) Get so many extras for little to no cost, that it's not funny.
3) Make them quit their job on the spot.
4) All of the above.

I remember one time (the ONE time) I bought a car from a dealer, they tried to sell me paint protection.
The dropped hydrochloric acid on to a marble table, and it fizzed.
They then dropped some on to a car with "paint protection"... no fizzing.
I asked the girl if I was meant to be impressed by a junior high school science trick?
I know how acids and bases work.... don't try and feed me a load of bull$#!t.
I'm here to buy a car, not unicorns and rainbows.

[Infinitiguy19]

I remember one time (the ONE time) I bought a car from a dealer, they tried to sell me paint protection.
The dropped hydrochloric acid on to a marble table, and it fizzed.
They then dropped some on to a car with "paint protection"... no fizzing.
I asked the girl if I was meant to be impressed by a junior high school science trick?
I know how acids and bases work.... don't try and feed me a load of bull$#!t.
I'm here to buy a car, not unicorns and rainbows.

If she was hot you should have said "nice trick" how about you cut me a deal here and I will give you a ride in my new car and see where it goes from there...Maybe I can show you some tricks of my own. You would say that before you were married.

[Mr. Music]

I don't have any dealer horror stories, as my Altima is the only new car I've bought, and I know the guy who used to be general manager at the dealership (now works at Acura No more deals on Nissans for me).

Anyhow, since this is aimed at Chrysler, here's an issue I haven't seen covered in the thread: Chrysler closed so many dealerships, something like 780 across the US, that most people will have to drive much further to get to the dealership, whether it be to buy a car or for parts/service. For example, there used to be five (that I remember) Chrysler dealerships in Miami Dade County, now there are two. One used to be about ten minutes from my house, now the nearest one is an hour away - which isn't all that far for me, but the closings translate into substantial travel time increases.

Aside from the increased travel time, so many people lost their jobs in the closing of all those dealerships that prospective buyers may hold that against Chrysler.

[Jesda]

On the plus side, fewer Sebrings on the road

[wingFeather]

I'm enough of a bastard that I would use this info against them in a sale to either;
1) Make them cry.
2) Get so many extras for little to no cost, that it's not funny.
3) Make them quit their job on the spot.
4) All of the above.

This seems like a grand idea, until you actually buy the car & find out that they "detailed" it while you were signing the paperwork. Somehow a rock got into the polishing wheel & left scratches all over. Too bad you legally own it now...

[HashiriyaS14]

This seems like a grand idea, until you actually buy the car & find out that they "detailed" it while you were signing the paperwork. Somehow a rock got into the polishing wheel & left scratches all over. Too bad you legally own it now...

^^
This is why I'm super anal when buying a new car from a dealer (which I've only done myself once, but on the behalf of others a couple other times).

1.) Always factory order, never anything on the lot
2.) Always be there in person when it comes off the truck, and be present for any/all "dealer prep" (all of which is disclosed beforehand

If dealer doesn't agree to let me be present during dealer prep and elect to pass on any part of it, there is no sale. I was there as they took the seat plastic off my WRX (which I kept), removed all stickers, checked all fluids, etc. I was over their shoulder the whole time. To the credit of Fitzgerald Auto Mall, they were super cool about the whole thing and seemed to enjoy having an owner take such interest in the process. I would recommend anyone buy from them, but their service department is bloody incompetent.

[ScrapMetal]

This story doesn't really deal with buying from a dealer but it does deal with their service department. Back in December I read FlatBlackIan's thread about seat belt warranties and getting dealers to fix your seat belts under warranty.

I went to my closest Nissan dealership here in Miami called Maroone Nissan. I spoke to their service manager and told him how my lap belt on my S13 wasn't retracting and that I wanted to get it fixed under warranty. He looked at me as if trying to hold himself from laughing in my face, told me he didn't know where I got that information and that the repair would be somewhere along the lines of $300. I left with my tail in between my legs, but decided to try another dealership.

This time I went to Bill Seidle's Nissan in another part of the city. I told them the same thing and their service manager knew about the warranty and told me there was no problem, that they'd fix my seat belt under warranty. I had a very nice experience at Bill Seidle's compared to Maroone and when it comes down to buying another Nissan(possibly a used 350Z), I'd go back to Bill Seidle's for sure.

[Ozzie]

I'm enough of a bastard that I would use this info against them in a sale to either;
1) Make them cry.
2) Get so many extras for little to no cost, that it's not funny.
3) Make them quit their job on the spot.
4) All of the above.

This seems like a grand idea, until you actually buy the car & find out that they "detailed" it while you were signing the paperwork. Somehow a rock got into the polishing wheel & left scratches all over. Too bad you legally own it now...

In Australia, I have legal recourse to not purchase the vehicle if that were to happen, or have it resprayed at the dealers cost.
I win again.