Hootbro
Well-Known Member
Dealers get away with that shit because they can in today's market. My two local CDJR dealers pretty much have bidding wars on what is in transit and is usually gone within the day of off load.Had a dealership (Southwest CDJR in Cleburne, Tx. I recommend avoiding it like the plague) I was in contact with about a very rare config I found in transit to their store (profile pic related). I explained that I was quite serious and I would like her to call me as soon as it arrives so we can discuss putting a deposit down. She did, and we were discussing pricing she hits me with "Because of the market, we can only offer you MSRP - $500". Whatever, heard the same from other dealerships I talked to, was ready to shell out knowing I wouldn't find another build like this anywhere else in the country.
She then told me that company policy is that they could only hold it for 24 hours after receiving payment or a deposit, which would require me to take off work the following day with no notice. Then she added on a $1200 "Image Guard" protection policy that she insisted came included on all new vehicles on their lot and could not be opted out of. I pushed back hard on this, asked to talk to her manager. He wouldn't budge, and added that they were already doing me a favor by allowing me the opportunity to purchase the vehicle, as they consider their local clients more important. Again, whatever. I just wanted the Jeep and was not planning to ever deal with them again.
Called the manager again, told him that I wanted to see the contract I would be signing for this 3rd party protection package they were forcing me to buy (the 3rd party's site mentioned the contract). He told me he did not currently have a copy and he would talk to his finance people and get that to me. Then 2 hours of radio silence. I text them back and ask about an update, I'm told they currently have someone else in the store looking to buy the vehicle (keep in mind it had been on the lot less than 6 hours at this point). Once again get in contact with the manager and ask him what's going on, he says somewhat smugly that yes, there is someone he is working with right now to make a deal on the vehicle. He also says that "The most important customer is the one sitting across from me". I was done at that point. They either had someone set up to buy it behind my back, or they didn't care we had been talking for a week, they have no problem telling non locals to piss off.
Cherry on top, sales rep I had been talking to the last week about it sent me a long text essentially blaming me for not moving fast enough and that "They had made it very clear" what their terms were from the beginning and they didn't send me the contract because it just had the same information as the brochure they sent (I didn't ask them if it had the same information, I said I wanted a copy of the document I would be signing). I told her if this is the kind of service I can expect from her company then I'm glad I did not go through with it.
Two days later I put in a custom order for a similar config at my local dealership with a sales rep I've worked with before and trusted. I got all the options I wanted (that the other build didn't have) and got it for around invoice price, much less than they were trying to scam me for in Cleburne.
As others have mentioned, push back hard if they're trying to do you dirty. Even if it's the most perfect build you can find, it's not worth rewarding scumbag business practices. You'll get a better deal custom ordering and it will feel more special when it finally arrives. (Sorry for wall of text, had to vent)
You did good to order local and not reward that bad behavior.
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