What price shenanigans have you seen dealerships do?

[Gladman]

Here in Phoenix there are quite a few dealers that add a bunch add-ons. Have seen up to $2K on one lot with all of the normal finance gotchas already equipped. And of course not listed on the site. Only when you get there. Though one did put in their fine print all of the random things they put on. But of course again not listed for the online price.

“All new cars purchased from Courtesy Jeep have Connect & Protect Tech for $699, Window Tint for $499, Lifetime Nitrogen in tires for $169.”

My tires have lifetime 72% nitrogen for free.

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[AggieJeep]

<rant description = “feel free to skip but this is cathartic “>

I’m old and jaded after so many transactions. Car salesmen by and large have been bottom feeders most all my life. I have had a few positive experiences but those are far out-weighed by the BS these sumbitches pull nowadays.

It is wise to remember that those guys are screwing folks over EVERYDAY. The buyer only engages in these deals once in a while. I feel it is arrogant to think you can ever really best a dealership. Comparing prices across locations is also not truly valid as the demand can vary widely.

35 years of car buying, only two deals were straightforward. Dealerships and salesmen have played the eff-u-over shell game for too long to be redeemed. The online buying options will replace these cheats and they will likely be forced into their next careers as telemarketers.

I work in a customer-facing role every day with lots of opportunity for things to slide sideways. I firmly believe a win-win scenario is always best. If a deal is not beneficial for both parties, it should not be done. Treat people with respect, not as marks, and they will most often reward you with repeat business. As a child, I heard a hospital administrator ask one of his staff “What business are we in?” The staffer looked quite puzzled at the question and muttered something about providing healthcare. The administrator’s response was “Customer Service. Healthcare is a big part, but not the whole of it. If we don’t succeed in the customer service aspect, people wont choose us no matter how good the healthcare is alone.” It stuck in my head as a kid just because the answer surprised me, I thought the staffer’s answer was kinda obvious. Decades later, I know the wisdom in the administrator’s thinking.

Dealerships have earned this distrust and only they can fix it. A few good ones are still likely out there somewhere but I feel like I will see a talking dog first. I fully expect my next vehicle purchase to be an online service without the sales/finance guy crap. Just remember dealerships, you only have yourselves to blame.
</rant>

 

[Dave91]

I dealt with several dealerships in MD that were difficult or had misleading pricing online. One in particular I went to where they tried to charge the destination fee twice. The salesman said that everyone did it so they did too. He told me that "it was FCA policy that they do it that way". I went back in forth with him for a minute about how that couldn't be true because I had already received a quote from another local dealer without that double charge on it, unfortunately I didn't have that quote printed out and with me at that time to show him. Either way I obviously didn't go with them.

After speaking with several dealerships around the area, most were a waste of time, either trying to pull stunts like the double destination charge, or having totally different quotes from what you see on their website.

I want to give a shout out to Leon at Criswell jeep in Gaithersburg who I eventually purchased my jeep through. He was extremely up front with pricing, and had a quote to me within the day after asking for a quote on a new build, which was a nice breath of fresh air after dealing with the other dealerships around here. He does 4% below invoice flat, extra 1% with tread lightly, extra 2% if you go with their financing, for a total of 7% with their financing, or 5% below invoice if you have your own. I ordered a week ago from him, and am anxiously awaiting the arrival now.

His contact info is Leon Travis, [email protected] , 202-557-0032. Definitely recommend reaching out to him if you are in the area.

 

[JerseyMike]

adding a second destination charge is really shady, seems to me that it might not be legal given that it is a made up charge for nothing.

 

[Free2roam]

I see a lot of back east folks. Anybody out here in Reno/Sacramento area have any dealings/shenanigans with dealerships? Looking for a (cough cough) fairish deal.

 

[Dave91]

adding a second destination charge is really shady, seems to me that it might not be legal given that it is a made up charge for nothing.

If you read the fine print on a lot of jeep chrysler dodge dealers websites around the area (but not all) they do this to try to appear to have a lower price than the competition. I tried to point out the fact that the destination charge is already literally right there on the window sticker in black and white, but the salesman didn't want to acknowledge it was a bogus charge. After a minute or so of back and forth I gave up on the conversation. I was out the doors shortly after, politely accepted his business card, then promptly threw it in the trash when I got home. Shady practice to say the least.

 

[takeitsleazy]

I bought mine at Hill-Kelly Dodge Jeep in Pensacola FL. No added fluff Straight $300 dealer fee. MSRP has nothing to do with the sale. NOTHING... It's a Jeti mind trick. Go off sticker. Minus any rebates you qualify for. Destination charge is part of the sticker price. I had to drive 3 hrs to get a good deal. 4 dealers that were close were adding all kind of BS. MSRP plus market adjustment etc. All bullshit. Invoice pricing is great but hard to find.

I live next to a Step One Auto and work near another in FWB, so I started there. They were selling a bunch of horseshit, and wouldn’t give a straight answer, so I went to Hill Kelly and had an order placed with my options within an hour. They were a pleasure to deal with and had clear answers to all my questions.

Honestly, step one wouldn’t even answer if they’d refund my deposit- Hill Kelly didn’t require one. I’ve serviced two of my other jeeps during work with step one and it was a pathetic experience every time. I go to Pensacola during the weekend for service now.

Bit of a rant, but I’ll never miss an opportunity to trash that awful excuse for a business.

 

[Blue Ridge]

I pick up mine on Monday. Just asked the dealer how much to get a certified check for. I REALLY want to think it's an honest mistake, but it was exactly $1000 more than what I should owe per our signed agreement. He corrected it, but damn! You really have to watch everything when buying a new vehicle. If I didn't notice, I seriously doubt someone would have corrected it in my benefit.

 

[Monkeywrench]

Salesman advised $770 fee for paint and interior protectant which is added to every vehicle. And $599 doc fee plus $250 handling fee. Handling of what?

Yeah.....nah.

 

[Hootbro]

Had a new one thrown at me a couple of weeks ago at a Honda dealership shopping for the wife.

The dealership advertises as a "true" KBB.com trade in value for ones trade. On a less than 6 month old trade in with less than 3K on the odometer and still mint in every way with no damages, they went to low end of the offer scale. That did not surprise me, what surprise me when given the low end offer number, the had a couple of subtractions for "Vehicle Reconditioning" to make the trade in offer just that much lower. I called them out for that bullshit and finally got those deductions off and got the offer up to an excellent trade in value.

Then came dealer not advertised add on fluff of cheesy non OEM mud flaps and the nitrogen scam they install on every vehicle and wanted $1k for that luxury. Then came the double destination charge add on when it was already included at the top of the MSRP numbers we started with.

Slowly started to remind me of the "TruCoat" scene from the move FARGO. We were not emotional locked to make the deal and easily would have walked if needed. I started to enjoy the combative back and forth dealing with the salesman on all the bullshit with the dealer add on's and double charging. Got to wrestle like a pig in mud with both the salesman and the sales manager working the deal. In the end, we got all that bullshit taken off and got a straight up deal.

 

[Stitchedupseats]

I pick up mine on Monday. Just asked the dealer how much to get a certified check for. I REALLY want to think it's an honest mistake, but it was exactly $1000 more than what I should owe per our signed agreement. He corrected it, but damn! You really have to watch everything when buying a new vehicle. If I didn't notice, I seriously doubt someone would have corrected it in my benefit.

I bought our LE and some other vehicles from Steve white in hickory NC. Didn’t really have any issues and had great service while we were there. Got updates on my order from sales manager and just nice people. They don’t have all the crazy doc fees on new either.

Good luck on pick up!

 

[A 2]

that's the low end here in So Cal ...I was at Huntington Beach Jeep yesterday and took a picture of the most ridiculous dealer add on list I've seen yet....all of this stuff is complete nonsense and it was on every jeep on the lot....$4500 in dealer add ons lmao

I wonder what a phantom footprint is For $799. One may never know.....
ridiculous!

 

[Free2roam]

WTF!? Gotta be Sasquatch! Maybe the chocolate phantom from Scooby Doo?

 

[Jrunner]

I was once told that I couldn’t get pricing without running my credit first... red flag.
Another fun thing is when dealerships say they will beat anyone’s price by X amount or percent. Fine print is it has to be the exact configuration on their lot, with as many configurations as you can get on a Jeep, that is never going to happen.

 

[Free2roam]

I was looking at a 4dr Wrangler at one point. Scouring the dealerships for a deal. Came across a mint one had about 35k on the odometer. That dealer told me that's their price. I was like dude I can literally go over to Jeep two blocks down and pick a brand new one for 4k more than that and probably negotiate them down the the same price. He says casually I don't make the price. I was like yep I know your moron sales manager does. Told him in not so many words to shove that Wrangler up his.

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