car buying etiquette

[itiswhatitisn't]

So right after Thanksgiving I bought my first ever new car!  Such a great day for me.  I spent nine years without a car.  And then I settled in to wait for the car to arrive at the dealership.  I was supposed to come a week before Christmas.  So then I start getting phone calls.  It's in early, the 6-10th of December.  The next day, the 7-11th of December.  Finally they called and said between the 10th and 14th.  I didn't mind, I just want the car to finally arrive. 

So this past Monday, the 11th, I get a call saying it's here.  So excited!  On the 12th I call about the paperwork and financing and tell the manager I'll be in on the 15th.  On the 14th I talked to the manager just to clarify some questions as I had never done this before,  and that night I got a call from our sales guy.  I told him we'd be in on the 15th after work to do the paperwork and get the final numbers.  We'd be back on saturday the 16th to take the car home.

I am not getting my car today.  When we showed up last night it was dirty and the seats were still wrapped in plastic, but they let us take it for a test drive.  They excused the dirt by saying it just came off the truck.  I kept saying it arrived on Monday.  So we go to fill out the paperwork and they ask when we're coming to get it.  Long story short.  The sales guy is on vacation next week.  Didn't think we'd be coming by to pick up the car and he left early.  Never wrote down that we were coming so the car has not been washed, detailed, or inspected.  I just loved that they let us take a car out that they didn't know was safe or not.

He did that to another customer who arrived right before us to get their car.  Two customers who have to wait until next week because he never bothered to get the cars ready and now the managers won't let us take them home.  I appreciate that they want to clean and inspect it, but shouldn't that have happened sometime between monday and friday?

12 new cars came in yesterday.  I think they sold my car to someone else as a duplicate was coming in and they knew I couldn't get to them for a week.  The end result is that I can't get my car until Tuesday and Dh and I were very upset.  How do you promise someone a car and just leave without doing anything to get it to them.  I mean we bargained hard, but you don't retaliate by not giving us the car we want.

[Katharine]

Honestly I would demand something  for the trouble. Did you get floor mats? That is always something you can ask for as compensation. If they give you trouble I would call a district manager or corporate. You still have time to take back the car and break the deal. If you are having this much trouble working with them with the warrenty could be difficult. Good luck!

[stanthedevil]

I would insist on speaking with the owner of the dealership ASAP.  Many of the dealerships in my area are owned by local people (even though they sell Fords or whatever) who rely on local business to survive.  There are at least a dozen Ford dealerships, so none of them need a customer not only refusing to complete the purchase but telling all their friends what an awful experience they had.

Anyways, I would insist on a sit down meeting and calmly outline to the owner the difficulties that you have had.  (All facts, no speculation about selling a duplicate or whatever.)  Then ask him why you should actually purchase the car from him and why you should not file an official complaint with the attorney general's office.  I suspect that if they haven't played nice at this point, they will suddenly start.

You also may want to consider going elsewhere for your vehicle.  Obviously this dealership has rather questionable service and it may not be worth the headache for the life of your car.  I'm sure there are other dealerships that would be happy to help you.

[Chirple]

If this is a manufacturer's dealership, ie.  BigCity Ford, or Small town Chevy, contact Ford or Chevrolet.  Go to a different dealer.  The sale is not complete until the car is delivered AND all the paperwork is signed.

Run, do not walk, from this dealer.

You have been warned.

[artk2002]

He did that to another customer who arrived right before us to get their car.  Two customers who have to wait until next week because he never bothered to get the cars ready and now the managers won't let us take them home.  I appreciate that they want to clean and inspect it, but shouldn't that have happened sometime between monday and friday?

12 new cars came in yesterday.  I think they sold my car to someone else as a duplicate was coming in and they knew I couldn't get to them for a week.

I've had a related experience, at one of the biggest, most reputable dealerships in Los Angeles.  I ordered a new vehicle and knew when it was due in.  I got a call from the salesman that the car was in, so I told him that I'd be there in the afternoon to pick it up.  Somehow, they hadn't marked the car as being sold, so by the time that I got there in the afternoon, it was gone!  Sold to someone else!

[JoyinVirginia]

Just my two cents:
We bought a new Toyota Prius last spring. The salesman was able to tell us when the car got to port in NY, when the car started it transit, and when it was expected in the dealership. All the tracking is computerized, so even having a 4-day window seems kinda questionable. 
Before signing any final paperwork or accepting the vehicle, I would insist on a meeting with the dealer's owner or the sales manager and ask for an explanation. also at the final paperwork signing the dealerships ALWAYS seem to want you to sign up for extra undercoating or rust peotection or something that just makes money for the dealership and doesn't really help the car. Do NOT buy any extra warranty until you research it and make sure it is a good deal.
Joy in Virginia

[itiswhatitisn't]

I am going to ask for an explanation.  The sales guy has to be there when we get the car and I am going to lay into them.  I really think they sold my car this week to someone else.  The longer I wait the more I am certain of it.  They have a lot of explaining to do.

[graceh9]

[He did that to another customer who arrived right before us to get their car.  Two customers who have to wait until next week because he never bothered to get the cars ready and now the managers won't let us take them home.  I appreciate that they want to clean and inspect it, but shouldn't that have happened sometime between monday and friday?

12 new cars came in yesterday.  I think they sold my car to someone else as a duplicate was coming in and they knew I couldn't get to them for a week.  The end result is that I can't get my car until Tuesday and Dh and I were very upset.  How do you promise someone a car and just leave without doing anything to get it to them.  I mean we bargained hard, but you don't retaliate by not giving us the car we want.
[/quote]


you are kinda stuck this time -- but this is outrageous -- car dealers generally make a big fuss about a new car because they know that for many of us it is a big deal -- they are detailed -- presented with a flourish etc etc --- you need to damage the reputation  of this dealer -- start, once you have your car and are satisfied with the car, with letters to the Mfg, the management of the dealership, and whatever local authorities e.g. bbb, chamber of commerce -- local complaint column in the paper -- radio whatever -- and if you are not dealing with the top dog now, you need to start complaining to him right now --

this is totally out of line for a dealership

[ginlyn32]

This is what I would do:

1) talk to the owner and tell him what happend.

2) ask what he plans to do about it.

3) tell him you want an extra couple thousand knocked off the price

4) tell him you want the extra warrenty to come out of the salesman's pocket

5) tell him you want free gas for a year

6) finally tell him if he does not meet with your demands, you will write a letter to the editor and take your business elsewhere.

hope you get something free from all this!!

ginger