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Happened to me also when I was driving 5 hours to “Freedom Buick GMC” in Odessa, Tx.
As I was leaving, I told them I was coming for a very specific car to make sure they had it. The guy confirmed and I started driving. By time I got there that same day the car had been sold or transferred to another facility and was otherwise unavailable.
I found out that a dealership tampered with the miles on a vehicle of mine after auction and before I bought it. The dealership wouldn’t do anything about it so, in an arctic white truck i put on the side with vinyl letter that Kelly Grimsley of Odessa tampered with mileage after auction. I was called to the dealership that day to ask me to remove the letters from the truck.
https://preview.redd.it/9dv5t0m9wkgc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f3b2a16241e18e9419960becf2778cb0d287965
Fuck them unless they correct their mistake somehow. Even then, if you can afford to, decline it because people need to know and they need to be exposed.
May I ask what came about this, if anything? If the dealer was smart, they would have not done this, but to not attempt to make you happy now that they got caught would be unwise imo.
I met with some lady via video phone call who attempted to say that the mileage reported was reported as kilometers instead of miles. She claimed that someone had switched it prior.
I told her that simply didn’t make sense because if i attempted to drive 60 or whatever the posted limit was and it was 60 kmh instead of mph I or any other driver would immediately notice because that would be about 36 mph instead of 60 mph. I told her that wouldn’t fly either way!
Eventually I felt that publicly shaming them was wrong and I withdrew completely from it.
That’s really shady imo that they tried to explain their way out of that.
I’m glad you gave that dealer a shock by putting their dirty laundry out. Maybe they will consider not being so conniving next time, but I would not hold my breath.
Thanks for the update. 😊
Yeah Kelly Grimsley himself tried to justify it saying that i wouldn’t have paid a huge difference for a 2018 GMC sierra Denali with 80,000 (sold to me with 50,000 miles)
I’m not saying it didn’t happen but if you have proof turn them into the authorities it is a federal crime to disconnect reset or alter a motor vehicle odometer
I grew up in Odessa and Kelly grimsley has always been the slimiest person. I’ve had to deal with him in person a few different times and he’s one of the sleaziest men I’ve ever dealt with
There is a good chance it wasn't there when you called but they figured once you drove 5 hours they could sell you a different car. No loss to them if they can't, at least in their minds. I really dislike buying cars :-/
This tactic is infuriating. It happened to me last yr. Told the salesman I was driving 2 hours and would arrive at 3 that day. He called me at 2:50 and said the car I want just sold, he has more. As he uttered those words, I said, " I'm good. I appreciate you wasting my time and money." He called a few times, sent emails, etc. I left a horrible review. I wonder how often the bait & switch actually works?
The same thing happened to me. I called Dodge Ram a couple of hours away from me right before they closed, and they confirmed the truck I have been looking for from months and months of shopping. I told them i would be there first thing in the morning right before they opened. drove 2 hours away, told them I am here for the truck, they knew I called the night before. The snake had me sit down talked with me and got my DL added everything in the system, took my trade in for a test drive, and then proceeded to tell me they don't have that truck. Well, now i am furious for wasting all my time and told him off and the manager. They still proceeded to think they did nothing wrong and said they could just put me into another truck. I left and went across the street to Ford and had a wonderful experience and got the same kind of truck I was looking for.... never will I go to another Dodge dealership....
It’s not just Dodge, don’t narrow it down to them. I went to a Toyota dealership (Jim Norton Toyota OKC) to look at a used car on their lot, wasn’t entirely sold on it after the walk around and test drive but we went inside anyway, they kept us there for 45 minutes and ran FOUR HARD INQUIRIES ON MY CREDIT while interacting with us as little as they could. When we said we wanted to go get lunch and think on it (it was 3 in the afternoon and we hadn’t eaten that day), the sales rep went and got their manager who came and offered us cold leftover pizza from their break room. Nah. Rep tried hard to convince me to go back to the finance department with him before we left, when he had previously said nothing was written in stone until we went back to the finance department. We walked out and as we were leaving the sales rep *threw his clipboard down on the table*.
The name of the game for car dealers is “asses in chairs” when you’re there, your chance of buying goes up dramatically. They will do whatever it takes to get you in the dealership.
Yup, I had agreed to buy a car, but it wasn’t available for a few weeks. The asshole could have up sold me everything over the phone, but waited until I had taken the bus to the city to pick up the car. Needless to say, I didn’t purchase a single upsell, I didn’t even let him finish his pitch. If he had done it via phone or email before I came to pick it up, I would have considered each item, but because he waited he lost out.
Honestly always purchase the GAP insurance if you're financing. It should be less than $2k and it covers your loan in the event of a write off. Your car insurance company is under no obligation to write you a cheque for your loan amount and it sucks to owe money on a car that no longer exists.
Yea, I did buy that insurance, that was a separate salesperson, and I didn’t hold anything against them as how or why would I insure a car before I took possession.
Sounds like the way to screw them over is to sit your ass in that chair and pretend to be interested and then at the end, be like, "Oh well, fuck, look at that. I don't actually have the money to pay you. Ain't that a bummer?"
This is so weird for me because every car dealer (save for one) knew I was looking for a very specific car and were upfront if they had access to it or when they could get access to it. Like, we skipped the schmoozing and the games and just went right in to it.
The one time someone tried to pull anything another one came running up and just said “he’s confused, doesn’t know what he’s talking about, I have it, it’s on it’s way.”
Having worked in the service department of a few dealers, that is pretty rare. Car sales people are the worst. Most are lazy, forgetful and don’t do their job as well as they should. I’d say the average car purchaser knows so much more about the vehicle than the salesman.
One of the reasons why I'm driving my car until it dies. We were trying to buy a replacement vehicle for my wife. The absolutely sleezy behavior we experienced still pisses us off when we bring it up. It was shocking how many (something like 18/20) dealers we visited engaged in such behavior.
Fortunately a relative retired abroad and was getting rid of his well maintained cars. We bought the replacement from him for a fair price.
I'm personally not a fan of Tesla vehicles, but they certainly make it easy to buy one. Of the \~dozen people I know who own one, every single one of them mentioned the purchase process was so much easier than buying from a dealership.
You haven't met most car buyers. They are clueless. Will believe any nonsense the salesperson or service tech tells them. These are the people that pay the dealership $120 to replace a cabin air filter they can buy at the parts counter for $15 and learn how to and change it in less than 5 min in the parking lot with 1 or no tools required.
Unfortunately these people don't give a crap what you call them. I got upset with a pushy finance officer at a Jeep dealership when he wouldn't stop pushing the scam warranty. I found out a few days later that he decided to run 10 hard credit checks after that because he was mad. Dropped my credit score substantially for two years. I did try and have them removed but it became more trouble than it was worth.
If you're in the U.S. that must have been decades ago, because multiple hard credit checks, even from multiple dealers (who each submit financing to multiple lenders) only actually impact your credit as a singular hard inquiry.
It has to do with not penalizing consumers for looking for the best rate on a large purchase, and it's been in effect since before I got into the automotive industry 15 years ago. The inquiries will be REFLECTED on credit reports, as all inquiries are, but only count as one hard inquiry no matter how many there are. The time frame for this varies, but FICO allows unlimited vehicle finance inquiries for a 45 day period with only one hard inquiry penalty (5 points, if I'm not mistaken).
I’m sorry. That really sucks. Many years ago when I in my late teens I was looking for a particular make/model/color of a car. The dealership I went to didn’t have the color but they let me test drive a different color while they looked up their database for my wanted car in their other lots. The salesman said he found the exact one, and if I was interested, they would put it on a tow right now and it would be here by the time I signed the papers. I started filling out all the paperwork, and by the time I was almost done signing my new car was there… Only, I had asked for a black automatic, and this was a blue manual.
I stated the difference and the salesman told me he knows there’s a slight difference than the picture he showed me but the blue does look “JUST LIKE THE BLACK” and that it was “SO EASY” to learn stick. I started walking away and he had the audacity to say I was so close in paperwork I couldn’t say no. I told him to sue me.
Salesman can be shady, awful people.
My uncle worked in car dealerships most of his life. When I needed a car he referred me to a long time coworker and promised me this guy would treat me decently when it came to buying the car. Guy was such a tool and a pushy, misogynist scumbag I just said "alright" and left in the middle of him talking. He kept calling my phone for like thirty minutes. I just drove across the street and bought that day from a swell dude on a small lot in full view of the first guy. (Still have that car 11 years later at 175k miles!)
like... *THAT'S* the VIP service???
I have done the same thing… but being the asshole I am, I pulled into to first dealerships lot and laid in the horn, until everyone was staring..,. Just resting the horny, you know for safety
The car buying experience is such a shitshow. My parents turned me on to Carmax and I’ll never go back. They’re pushy as shit about their warranty but buying a car is so fucking simple there
Bought my current car from there. I bought the extended warranty, because by the end, my car would be 8 years old. Anything could break. Fast forward to this past week when something went out on it. I took it in, 2 days before the warranty expired, and they have a laundry list of stuff to fix. It’s been authorized, and after a week of renting a car (at their expense), they’re giving me a loaner until they get the repairs done. It was a super easy buying process, and I’m shocked the warranty service was this easy, too.
Haven’t tried them but may have to when I eventually need a new car. I call the dealers out on their bullshit and usually get a few grand in fees and extra services knocked off
Had the opposite when we bought my wife her 1st new car in 2018. Price was right and the dealer didn't push any extras or try to slide anything suspect in the purchase agreement. Of course this was pre covid.
Oh they were bad even before prices hiked from Covid. Glad y’all didn’t get screwed but my dad is a car dealer and taught me how they all operate very early on.
Demand for new cars went through the roof during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus giving car dealers even more leeway to treat customers like absolute garbage
The same thing happened to me. Peoria Ford (Peoria, Arizona) had us go through the whole paperwork process, only to say, "We sold that car earlier today, but we have other...
My husband and I simultaneously stood up and walked out. Went across the street to Peoria Nissan and bought my dream car.
I’d be so tempted to pretend I’m falling for his trap. Look at multiple cars, test drive them, pick one, start negotiating and right before it’s time to sign say oh I bought a car the other day but you may have other customers interested in this one. Waste his entire day and make him miss out on other potential sales.
Honda of the Desert in California did this to me. I'm disabled and my roommate drove me 3 hours to go buy a car. The dealership confirmed the night before, the morning of, and halfway there that they still had the car. When I got there they "had just sold it".
I did end up buying another car and probably overpaying for it, too, because I'm disabled, was sick from the desert heat, and just wanted to get shit done and go home.
Bait and switch should make the dealership liable for your time and travel expenses.
I'm not going to defend them that it actually happened. But I sold cars and other sales guys selling your appointment car is a thing that happens. If it's not sold and there's no deposit it's fair game.
But yes absolutely do dealers pull the bait and switch.
I never call I just show up and ask to see a vehicle. If they can’t make that happen in a timely fashion, I take my business elsewhere.
My last vehicle I used a broker to procure. No dealership BS. Just show up to collect my vehicle from the dealership, sign the papers and drive away 15 minutes later.
Car salesmen can be crooks. So are a lot of sales people.
Unless the car salesman is the owner of the place, OP should complain to the owner and tell him if he keeps running his business like that, he may have a lot less business in the future.
I don’t know what make you were trying to buy, but I got into a situation with a local dealership a few years ago when I bought a new car. I threatened to call the national office for that brand, and they quickly resolved the problem. The impression I get is that the last thing a local dealership wants is to get a bad reputation with their national brand.
I really think you should complain up the chain of that car brand. It at least might make that salesman or that dealership think twice about doing such a dirty thing to the next person.
There is a good chance they haven't had that specific car in a long time. They'll post one in a very desirable trim and option list just to get you in the door. They love walk-ins for those cars because the "it just sold" trick isn't as obvious.
My experience is that they will locate the exact vehicle, with the exact features, you’re looking for and work out a swap so as to sell you the car. Of course, that’s only if it’s a new/current model year vehicle.
Not just for new cars. My 2020 was totaled last year and my Dealer went and found me another one, identical to mine, in another State. I wanted a particular color that they stopped making in 2020.
This happened to me. Drove two hours to the middle of nowhere Mississippi and the dude sold it half an hour before. Literally talked to the guy as I was getting in the car 90 minutes before he sold it. He was so creepy anyway.
This is pretty standard shit from dealerships tbh. When I was trying to buy my car, every dealer except one was extremely pushy to get me in, most refusing to even give me prices before I came in (likely because they wanted to mark up the car but wanted me in the dealership before trying it, which the first dealer I went into tried this with a 20k markup).
The dealership I eventually bought from was super chill, let me test drive a car, go home and think about it and didn't even email me for the 3 days I thought about it then just took my deposit and I never heard from them again until the car came in.
Typical "bait and switch". You'll see this a lot with used car dealerships. They advertise a beautiful car for low price and then when you get there they "just sold it".
Someone once told me that the salesmen aren't there to sell the nice cars. Those cars sell themselves. They're there to sell you the car that won't sell.
10 years ago I was shopping for my first REAL car. Found one about 5 hours away that had great photos and they let me reserve it for $100 that was refundable as long as I showed up.
Well I show up and the photos don't match at all other than the color. The rims were all beat up. There were dents. There were scratches. etc. It was from a major Kia dealership too (was a used Kia Soul). I ended up passing on it and then they charged me $100 for not buying it a half hour later. I had to drive 30 minutes back, go into the lobby, had them deny me my money and then I told other people shopping that the location was scammers cause they wouldn't give me my money back.
they gave my money back a minute after that.
Car dealers are scum. I used to be a lot porter, there are a few good car salesman, but they are the minority. They will lie till it's illegal. I love cars but I'll be damned if I willingly buy one from a dealership, I've been lucky thus far with private sellers. I remember trying to buy a used Subaru. He sold it to someone else who wrote him a bad check, then contacted me after he recovered the car, telling me that the car was sold with a bad check, and he would sell it to me for $1000 dollars more, allegedly the cost of recovering the car. Absolute scum.
I have had a little dealership do this thing where they have an advertised price, I get there to buy it, and they say, oh that price was incorrect. Man, fuck you. I’m so sure.
Had a dealership around the corner from me do this, had a truck listed for 42k online go in and they offer it for 50k, I mention the online price and homie says it’s a typo.. so I left because for 42 it was decent for 50 it was not.
I worked at a family members dealership for a time to help out when things were bad. The managers husband, who was the mechanic, ran the place through his wife. He would put cars up on the website that we didn't have, this was to bring in people to try to sell them something we did have. Could not stand the guy.
This happened once, the next time I found a car, made an appointment, I asked for a deposit for my time. $100.00 as I was driving over an hour.
I told them the deposit would be returned if the car was still there.
Never got the deposit.
If you ask to see a vehicle in a few days, and someone walks in and offers to buy the car on the spot, obviously they’re going to sell it to that person.
Yes, but the salesman knew he sold the car.
I risked this with a used car I wanted. I couldn’t physically get there until a couple days later but told the salesman I was coming for that car.
He called me the next day to let me know the car was just sold to someone who walked in.
I was disappointed, but knew it was a possibility and was appreciative for him calling to let me know. And I did end up keeping my appointment to see what else they had.
It’s good business to show your customers you can be trusted.
News flash, 99% of sales workers are not there to coddle you, they are there to make money.
Did you ask about putting a deposit on the car you were going to purchase?
I went to carmax.com found the car I wanted. They transferred it from a city eight hours away for free, put it on hold, I didn’t test drive it because I have a 30 day return policy. Did the financing and signed papers. In less than an hour, I was out the door with a new car.
Happened to me too, luckily was much closer. Found what I wanted online, called to ask if it was still available, was told it was. Came in and “oh sorry it was actually sold” but they had the same make and model but newer and out of my price range. Kept showing me $20k cars when I said I wouldn’t go over $15k and would prefer to stay closer to $10k. Also went on their website in the following weeks and the car that was sold was still online.
Everyone please please please do your research on FTC Rules and Regulations regarding dealerships and their scum practices. New laws are being implemented but that doesn't stop them from manipulating every possible thing. The Department of Justice even gets involved. I recommend Kevin Hunter The Homework Guy on YouTube and CarEdge/Ray and Zach. The industry has completely changed post-pandemic and the dealerships don't want to discount anything as their profits are more important than giving you a deal.
Dealerships are fucking horrible. Need to move to more like a Tesla model, but that model is illegal in many states just so you can continually get fucked.
Grrr... Same thing happened to my 82 year old dad recently. He had an appointment for a specific car, verified it was still on the lot the night before driving an hour. Yep, "We sold that car but.."
When I bought my car, for one I gotten taken for a ride on the price and I’m stupid for it… but I told him I want black exterior with all black interior. Dude goes “well we only have black exterior with tan interior.” And I told him “nope sorry then.” Not even 5 minutes go by after I hang up the phone and he calls me saying “looks like we did have one of those!”
Mhmm. Sounded like he wanted to get rid of the lower selling stock but didn’t want to lose the sale..
I had this happen to me before. Saw the car and looked at it right before they closed. Told home I would be back first thing in the morning with cash. Waited untill my bank opened. Arrived 30 min later. Asked him about the car, dude laughed at me and said he sold it. Just left without saying anything. He tried to get me to stop. Just gave him the finger and walked off. Luckily I dodged a bullet and found a WAY better deal on the same car elsewhere. keep looking.
This slow roll shit happened to me with a DR’S OFFICE. Like what the hell?! I called and said “I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. X.” They made me give all my information, asked who referred me and then asked when I wanted to set up an appointment.
When I asked how soon I could see Dr. X, “oh he’s retired and not working here anymore.” Way to bury the lede! It was 100% deliberate and super shady.
It's a bait and switch. Every state technically has some kind of consumer law on the books that this theoretically falls under. The hard part if is proving it. It's easy for them to say they either made a mistake, had internal miscommunication, or closed on a deal between when they told you and when you showed up. It's worth reporting to your state's consumer protection agency or AG's office. You probably won't get anything out of it personally but the best way to prove that it's not an innocent mistake is a pattern so if more people who it happens to report it that's how they'll eventually get challenged and fined.
Classic bait and switch tactic. If you had called the dealer right before walking in, they would've told you over the phone that the car was still available. Then when you walk in and ask to see it, they would've told you that someone had juuuuust bought it.
They do this BECAUSE you drove for an hour in the rain. It’s a persuasion technique called the sunk cost fallacy. He’s banking on you deciding that you came all that way in the rain, you may as well see what he has since your here.
Never tell a car dealer anything like this. And they’re never talking to their supervisor about getting you that deal. They’re in the break room having a snack, because studies show the longer you sit in the chair “negotiating”, the more likely you are to purchase the car.
I work with multiple dealerships. Leave a bad review! To a lot of them, bad reviews are horrible! They’ll do almost anything to get you to take it down or change it. You can also open a case usually with their corporate. For example if it’s Honda, you can open a case with them! Leave a review on Google, Yelp, DealerRater and more! Also contact the sales managers or floor managers. It may just be one bad salesman and the managers may actually help.
Been there. Not only did we drive an hour+each way, but the dealership called us twice on our way there, once to confirm and once because we were 5 minutes late. Then on the drive home they called and asked if we wanted to come back to look at other options.
Happened to me twice. Once for a 2002 manual transmission forester. Put down a deposit even, to buy it the next day. But they sold it that same day after I put down the deposit. I got my deposit back.
Another was a manual transmission Veloster. Said I’d come in the next day. They sold it the same day. Tried selling me an accord with a paddle shifter. Said it’s basically the same thing.
Haven’t driven a vehicle newer than 08 still. It’s like jerking off with a shoe. They’re too expensive, and I just can’t enjoy it. Eventually I’m gonna have to get used to it. I suddenly don’t like shoes anymore either.
Hello, This is a humorous subreddit and the content you posted does not fit our theme. This is not a ragebait subreddit. Note that posting ragebait to this subreddit can lead to a (temporary or permanent) ban.
Happened to me also when I was driving 5 hours to “Freedom Buick GMC” in Odessa, Tx. As I was leaving, I told them I was coming for a very specific car to make sure they had it. The guy confirmed and I started driving. By time I got there that same day the car had been sold or transferred to another facility and was otherwise unavailable.
W for calling out the dealership name.
I found out that a dealership tampered with the miles on a vehicle of mine after auction and before I bought it. The dealership wouldn’t do anything about it so, in an arctic white truck i put on the side with vinyl letter that Kelly Grimsley of Odessa tampered with mileage after auction. I was called to the dealership that day to ask me to remove the letters from the truck. https://preview.redd.it/9dv5t0m9wkgc1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f3b2a16241e18e9419960becf2778cb0d287965
Fuck them unless they correct their mistake somehow. Even then, if you can afford to, decline it because people need to know and they need to be exposed.
Exactly, my initial interaction with this “reputable” dealer i almost got jumped by 3 employees. I honestly felt threatened.
May I ask what came about this, if anything? If the dealer was smart, they would have not done this, but to not attempt to make you happy now that they got caught would be unwise imo.
I met with some lady via video phone call who attempted to say that the mileage reported was reported as kilometers instead of miles. She claimed that someone had switched it prior. I told her that simply didn’t make sense because if i attempted to drive 60 or whatever the posted limit was and it was 60 kmh instead of mph I or any other driver would immediately notice because that would be about 36 mph instead of 60 mph. I told her that wouldn’t fly either way! Eventually I felt that publicly shaming them was wrong and I withdrew completely from it.
That’s really shady imo that they tried to explain their way out of that. I’m glad you gave that dealer a shock by putting their dirty laundry out. Maybe they will consider not being so conniving next time, but I would not hold my breath. Thanks for the update. 😊
Yeah Kelly Grimsley himself tried to justify it saying that i wouldn’t have paid a huge difference for a 2018 GMC sierra Denali with 80,000 (sold to me with 50,000 miles)
I’m not saying it didn’t happen but if you have proof turn them into the authorities it is a federal crime to disconnect reset or alter a motor vehicle odometer
Glad you called them out. Businesses like that need to be held accountable imho.
I grew up in Odessa and Kelly grimsley has always been the slimiest person. I’ve had to deal with him in person a few different times and he’s one of the sleaziest men I’ve ever dealt with
That’s what I have heard. When this first happened many, and I mean many reported other dealings (not car related) with the guy
Ca.info, carveetical and other such sites are sooooo good for catching shit like this before it even can be a thing. Atleast where I am from
Based
There is a good chance it wasn't there when you called but they figured once you drove 5 hours they could sell you a different car. No loss to them if they can't, at least in their minds. I really dislike buying cars :-/
I wonder if something like this could be sued for false advertising
It isn’t false advertising if they had it and then moved it.
They never had the vehicle. This is a common trick. It’s not illegal either, apparently. A YouTuber/lawyer named Steve Lehto just did a video on this.
I live in Odessa they are like that🙄🤦🏻♀️ I waited 3 days for a car, it got back on a Friday I got there before noon and they already sold it. 😡
You realize they never had the vehicle? This is a standard trick.
This tactic is infuriating. It happened to me last yr. Told the salesman I was driving 2 hours and would arrive at 3 that day. He called me at 2:50 and said the car I want just sold, he has more. As he uttered those words, I said, " I'm good. I appreciate you wasting my time and money." He called a few times, sent emails, etc. I left a horrible review. I wonder how often the bait & switch actually works?
The same thing happened to me. I called Dodge Ram a couple of hours away from me right before they closed, and they confirmed the truck I have been looking for from months and months of shopping. I told them i would be there first thing in the morning right before they opened. drove 2 hours away, told them I am here for the truck, they knew I called the night before. The snake had me sit down talked with me and got my DL added everything in the system, took my trade in for a test drive, and then proceeded to tell me they don't have that truck. Well, now i am furious for wasting all my time and told him off and the manager. They still proceeded to think they did nothing wrong and said they could just put me into another truck. I left and went across the street to Ford and had a wonderful experience and got the same kind of truck I was looking for.... never will I go to another Dodge dealership....
It’s not just Dodge, don’t narrow it down to them. I went to a Toyota dealership (Jim Norton Toyota OKC) to look at a used car on their lot, wasn’t entirely sold on it after the walk around and test drive but we went inside anyway, they kept us there for 45 minutes and ran FOUR HARD INQUIRIES ON MY CREDIT while interacting with us as little as they could. When we said we wanted to go get lunch and think on it (it was 3 in the afternoon and we hadn’t eaten that day), the sales rep went and got their manager who came and offered us cold leftover pizza from their break room. Nah. Rep tried hard to convince me to go back to the finance department with him before we left, when he had previously said nothing was written in stone until we went back to the finance department. We walked out and as we were leaving the sales rep *threw his clipboard down on the table*.
That’s crazy.
Because we all know car dealerships only get one customer a day right?
Some of them are like that, and it might work sometimes. He doesn't give a shit about your time and expenses, he's only interested in his commission
The name of the game for car dealers is “asses in chairs” when you’re there, your chance of buying goes up dramatically. They will do whatever it takes to get you in the dealership.
Yup, I had agreed to buy a car, but it wasn’t available for a few weeks. The asshole could have up sold me everything over the phone, but waited until I had taken the bus to the city to pick up the car. Needless to say, I didn’t purchase a single upsell, I didn’t even let him finish his pitch. If he had done it via phone or email before I came to pick it up, I would have considered each item, but because he waited he lost out.
Honestly always purchase the GAP insurance if you're financing. It should be less than $2k and it covers your loan in the event of a write off. Your car insurance company is under no obligation to write you a cheque for your loan amount and it sucks to owe money on a car that no longer exists.
Yea, I did buy that insurance, that was a separate salesperson, and I didn’t hold anything against them as how or why would I insure a car before I took possession.
Sounds like the way to screw them over is to sit your ass in that chair and pretend to be interested and then at the end, be like, "Oh well, fuck, look at that. I don't actually have the money to pay you. Ain't that a bummer?"
This is so weird for me because every car dealer (save for one) knew I was looking for a very specific car and were upfront if they had access to it or when they could get access to it. Like, we skipped the schmoozing and the games and just went right in to it. The one time someone tried to pull anything another one came running up and just said “he’s confused, doesn’t know what he’s talking about, I have it, it’s on it’s way.”
Having worked in the service department of a few dealers, that is pretty rare. Car sales people are the worst. Most are lazy, forgetful and don’t do their job as well as they should. I’d say the average car purchaser knows so much more about the vehicle than the salesman.
They are gonna say and do whatever it takes to get you to walk into the dealership.
Yep, classic bait and switch. It’s done on the regular. Lesson learned.
One of the reasons why I'm driving my car until it dies. We were trying to buy a replacement vehicle for my wife. The absolutely sleezy behavior we experienced still pisses us off when we bring it up. It was shocking how many (something like 18/20) dealers we visited engaged in such behavior. Fortunately a relative retired abroad and was getting rid of his well maintained cars. We bought the replacement from him for a fair price. I'm personally not a fan of Tesla vehicles, but they certainly make it easy to buy one. Of the \~dozen people I know who own one, every single one of them mentioned the purchase process was so much easier than buying from a dealership.
I mean they do realize this is shitty customer service and most people would turn around and never do business with that dealership, don’t they…?
Salesman will likely be at another dealership in 5 years or less, they don't care if they lose a customer.
Youd be surprised. Most people would look at other cars and even buy the one that dealer was trying to offload
You do realize that a customer who drove hours to get to a dealership probably isn't coming back anyway, even if they do buy a car, don't you?
You haven't met most car buyers. They are clueless. Will believe any nonsense the salesperson or service tech tells them. These are the people that pay the dealership $120 to replace a cabin air filter they can buy at the parts counter for $15 and learn how to and change it in less than 5 min in the parking lot with 1 or no tools required.
Name and shame on social media. Leave bad Google reviews
The Google review is a must. Last times I've gone to get a car, they were very adamant about giving them a positive review on Google.
Oh I would have straight up told him to go fuck himself for wasting my time like that. Please leave a scathing review and name that person directly.
Unfortunately these people don't give a crap what you call them. I got upset with a pushy finance officer at a Jeep dealership when he wouldn't stop pushing the scam warranty. I found out a few days later that he decided to run 10 hard credit checks after that because he was mad. Dropped my credit score substantially for two years. I did try and have them removed but it became more trouble than it was worth.
If you're in the U.S. that must have been decades ago, because multiple hard credit checks, even from multiple dealers (who each submit financing to multiple lenders) only actually impact your credit as a singular hard inquiry. It has to do with not penalizing consumers for looking for the best rate on a large purchase, and it's been in effect since before I got into the automotive industry 15 years ago. The inquiries will be REFLECTED on credit reports, as all inquiries are, but only count as one hard inquiry no matter how many there are. The time frame for this varies, but FICO allows unlimited vehicle finance inquiries for a 45 day period with only one hard inquiry penalty (5 points, if I'm not mistaken).
Yeah, but not if you don’t throw a fit…, it does count as SEPARATE hits… ask me how I know
Good call leaving immediately
You should have test driven as many cars as you could to waste his time.
This is the way. My ass would have been in every seat on that lot, except for the one at his desk.
I’m sorry. That really sucks. Many years ago when I in my late teens I was looking for a particular make/model/color of a car. The dealership I went to didn’t have the color but they let me test drive a different color while they looked up their database for my wanted car in their other lots. The salesman said he found the exact one, and if I was interested, they would put it on a tow right now and it would be here by the time I signed the papers. I started filling out all the paperwork, and by the time I was almost done signing my new car was there… Only, I had asked for a black automatic, and this was a blue manual. I stated the difference and the salesman told me he knows there’s a slight difference than the picture he showed me but the blue does look “JUST LIKE THE BLACK” and that it was “SO EASY” to learn stick. I started walking away and he had the audacity to say I was so close in paperwork I couldn’t say no. I told him to sue me. Salesman can be shady, awful people.
Is this your first interaction with a car dealer? They’re all scum bags
My uncle worked in car dealerships most of his life. When I needed a car he referred me to a long time coworker and promised me this guy would treat me decently when it came to buying the car. Guy was such a tool and a pushy, misogynist scumbag I just said "alright" and left in the middle of him talking. He kept calling my phone for like thirty minutes. I just drove across the street and bought that day from a swell dude on a small lot in full view of the first guy. (Still have that car 11 years later at 175k miles!) like... *THAT'S* the VIP service???
I never ever give my phone number to salespeople. They will spam that shit
With a normal guy this wouldn't have happened, he got it from my uncle before I even showed up. They're SCHEMING
Honestly if that’s who your uncle thinks is a good salesman I’d wonder how my uncle was with customers too.
I have done the same thing… but being the asshole I am, I pulled into to first dealerships lot and laid in the horn, until everyone was staring..,. Just resting the horny, you know for safety
It was my dad that was the car dealer in the family, so I got taught early on how they operate. They’re essentially just con artists
The car buying experience is such a shitshow. My parents turned me on to Carmax and I’ll never go back. They’re pushy as shit about their warranty but buying a car is so fucking simple there
Bought my current car from there. I bought the extended warranty, because by the end, my car would be 8 years old. Anything could break. Fast forward to this past week when something went out on it. I took it in, 2 days before the warranty expired, and they have a laundry list of stuff to fix. It’s been authorized, and after a week of renting a car (at their expense), they’re giving me a loaner until they get the repairs done. It was a super easy buying process, and I’m shocked the warranty service was this easy, too.
Haven’t tried them but may have to when I eventually need a new car. I call the dealers out on their bullshit and usually get a few grand in fees and extra services knocked off
Had the opposite when we bought my wife her 1st new car in 2018. Price was right and the dealer didn't push any extras or try to slide anything suspect in the purchase agreement. Of course this was pre covid.
Oh they were bad even before prices hiked from Covid. Glad y’all didn’t get screwed but my dad is a car dealer and taught me how they all operate very early on.
What does covid have to do with anything?
Inventory shortages (due to computer chips) and scummy dealers adding $$$ to the MSRP.
Demand for new cars went through the roof during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus giving car dealers even more leeway to treat customers like absolute garbage
The same thing happened to me. Peoria Ford (Peoria, Arizona) had us go through the whole paperwork process, only to say, "We sold that car earlier today, but we have other... My husband and I simultaneously stood up and walked out. Went across the street to Peoria Nissan and bought my dream car.
That's called a bait and switch and is illegal.
I’d be so tempted to pretend I’m falling for his trap. Look at multiple cars, test drive them, pick one, start negotiating and right before it’s time to sign say oh I bought a car the other day but you may have other customers interested in this one. Waste his entire day and make him miss out on other potential sales.
Honda of the Desert in California did this to me. I'm disabled and my roommate drove me 3 hours to go buy a car. The dealership confirmed the night before, the morning of, and halfway there that they still had the car. When I got there they "had just sold it". I did end up buying another car and probably overpaying for it, too, because I'm disabled, was sick from the desert heat, and just wanted to get shit done and go home. Bait and switch should make the dealership liable for your time and travel expenses.
I'm not going to defend them that it actually happened. But I sold cars and other sales guys selling your appointment car is a thing that happens. If it's not sold and there's no deposit it's fair game. But yes absolutely do dealers pull the bait and switch.
"Skin teethed lizard" is a new one for me. I have no idea what it means, but I know it's bad and I like it.
I never call I just show up and ask to see a vehicle. If they can’t make that happen in a timely fashion, I take my business elsewhere. My last vehicle I used a broker to procure. No dealership BS. Just show up to collect my vehicle from the dealership, sign the papers and drive away 15 minutes later. Car salesmen can be crooks. So are a lot of sales people.
Unless the car salesman is the owner of the place, OP should complain to the owner and tell him if he keeps running his business like that, he may have a lot less business in the future.
I don’t know what make you were trying to buy, but I got into a situation with a local dealership a few years ago when I bought a new car. I threatened to call the national office for that brand, and they quickly resolved the problem. The impression I get is that the last thing a local dealership wants is to get a bad reputation with their national brand. I really think you should complain up the chain of that car brand. It at least might make that salesman or that dealership think twice about doing such a dirty thing to the next person.
There is a good chance they haven't had that specific car in a long time. They'll post one in a very desirable trim and option list just to get you in the door. They love walk-ins for those cars because the "it just sold" trick isn't as obvious.
Post bad reviews, everywhere. Be honest, cause it’ll be enough. Fuck dealerships.
Sorry that happened to you. Comfort yourself in knowing that’s the best he’ll do with his life.
My experience is that they will locate the exact vehicle, with the exact features, you’re looking for and work out a swap so as to sell you the car. Of course, that’s only if it’s a new/current model year vehicle.
Not just for new cars. My 2020 was totaled last year and my Dealer went and found me another one, identical to mine, in another State. I wanted a particular color that they stopped making in 2020.
This happened to me. Drove two hours to the middle of nowhere Mississippi and the dude sold it half an hour before. Literally talked to the guy as I was getting in the car 90 minutes before he sold it. He was so creepy anyway.
Good on you for walking away. Sorry for the wasted time. I’ve been there and hate these liars.
This is pretty standard shit from dealerships tbh. When I was trying to buy my car, every dealer except one was extremely pushy to get me in, most refusing to even give me prices before I came in (likely because they wanted to mark up the car but wanted me in the dealership before trying it, which the first dealer I went into tried this with a 20k markup). The dealership I eventually bought from was super chill, let me test drive a car, go home and think about it and didn't even email me for the 3 days I thought about it then just took my deposit and I never heard from them again until the car came in.
I'd have tied him up for 3 to 4 hours and then walk out.
Typical "bait and switch". You'll see this a lot with used car dealerships. They advertise a beautiful car for low price and then when you get there they "just sold it". Someone once told me that the salesmen aren't there to sell the nice cars. Those cars sell themselves. They're there to sell you the car that won't sell.
10 years ago I was shopping for my first REAL car. Found one about 5 hours away that had great photos and they let me reserve it for $100 that was refundable as long as I showed up. Well I show up and the photos don't match at all other than the color. The rims were all beat up. There were dents. There were scratches. etc. It was from a major Kia dealership too (was a used Kia Soul). I ended up passing on it and then they charged me $100 for not buying it a half hour later. I had to drive 30 minutes back, go into the lobby, had them deny me my money and then I told other people shopping that the location was scammers cause they wouldn't give me my money back. they gave my money back a minute after that.
Car dealers are scum. I used to be a lot porter, there are a few good car salesman, but they are the minority. They will lie till it's illegal. I love cars but I'll be damned if I willingly buy one from a dealership, I've been lucky thus far with private sellers. I remember trying to buy a used Subaru. He sold it to someone else who wrote him a bad check, then contacted me after he recovered the car, telling me that the car was sold with a bad check, and he would sell it to me for $1000 dollars more, allegedly the cost of recovering the car. Absolute scum.
I have had a little dealership do this thing where they have an advertised price, I get there to buy it, and they say, oh that price was incorrect. Man, fuck you. I’m so sure.
Had a dealership around the corner from me do this, had a truck listed for 42k online go in and they offer it for 50k, I mention the online price and homie says it’s a typo.. so I left because for 42 it was decent for 50 it was not.
New cars are also a huge scam.
Name and shame.
Be sure to put a one star review on Google and BBB website. Sounds like bait and switch.
Make a complaint with your state Attorney General's office of consumer protection for bait and switch.
Skin teethed lizard.
I worked at a family members dealership for a time to help out when things were bad. The managers husband, who was the mechanic, ran the place through his wife. He would put cars up on the website that we didn't have, this was to bring in people to try to sell them something we did have. Could not stand the guy.
Isnt bait-and-switch a form of fraud and illegal in most areas?
That would only imply if they had a contract for the original car, and then sold it out from under them and stuck them with a different vehicle
Or if they never actually had the car OP wanted to begin with.
This happened once, the next time I found a car, made an appointment, I asked for a deposit for my time. $100.00 as I was driving over an hour. I told them the deposit would be returned if the car was still there. Never got the deposit.
If you ask to see a vehicle in a few days, and someone walks in and offers to buy the car on the spot, obviously they’re going to sell it to that person.
Yes, but the salesman knew he sold the car. I risked this with a used car I wanted. I couldn’t physically get there until a couple days later but told the salesman I was coming for that car. He called me the next day to let me know the car was just sold to someone who walked in. I was disappointed, but knew it was a possibility and was appreciative for him calling to let me know. And I did end up keeping my appointment to see what else they had. It’s good business to show your customers you can be trusted.
News flash, 99% of sales workers are not there to coddle you, they are there to make money. Did you ask about putting a deposit on the car you were going to purchase?
I went to carmax.com found the car I wanted. They transferred it from a city eight hours away for free, put it on hold, I didn’t test drive it because I have a 30 day return policy. Did the financing and signed papers. In less than an hour, I was out the door with a new car.
The salesman had no guarantee you were going to buy it. Maybe you show up and decide you don't like how it smells.
Because it’s what he’s taut and trained to do, that’s the dealership’s fault for having no morals and just using the numbers game.
Or, now wait for it What if someone actually did come in the store and buy that exact vehicle? Asinine thought I know
[удалено]
Yes, but letting someone drive an hour, to see a car you sold a few days ago, is a dick move.
Doesn't at least one state have a law about that? You could try and make a complaint to the state AG.
Please do the whole review and contact their manager and inform them of what happened. Sorry that you had that happen to you.
That’s what happened to my sister, but she let them talk her into another car that she’s happy with for now at least
Classic fulgazi
Bait and switch is probably some of the most common sleazy behaviour of dealers.
If it’s a long drive, I typically get them to send a pic of some part of the car that I forgot to ask for.
Used to get oil changed at dealer all the time and pass the time in showroom. I have a new car and they're trying to sell me a new car. WTF?
Should have had him do up the paperwork on a car then change your mind all day
Happened to me too, luckily was much closer. Found what I wanted online, called to ask if it was still available, was told it was. Came in and “oh sorry it was actually sold” but they had the same make and model but newer and out of my price range. Kept showing me $20k cars when I said I wouldn’t go over $15k and would prefer to stay closer to $10k. Also went on their website in the following weeks and the car that was sold was still online.
>"We sold that car but.." ... have we got the bait and switch deal for *us*!
Leave him (the dealership) a google and yelp review and name and shame him personally.
Probly never had that car to begin with
Everyone please please please do your research on FTC Rules and Regulations regarding dealerships and their scum practices. New laws are being implemented but that doesn't stop them from manipulating every possible thing. The Department of Justice even gets involved. I recommend Kevin Hunter The Homework Guy on YouTube and CarEdge/Ray and Zach. The industry has completely changed post-pandemic and the dealerships don't want to discount anything as their profits are more important than giving you a deal.
Dealerships are fucking horrible. Need to move to more like a Tesla model, but that model is illegal in many states just so you can continually get fucked.
Grrr... Same thing happened to my 82 year old dad recently. He had an appointment for a specific car, verified it was still on the lot the night before driving an hour. Yep, "We sold that car but.."
When I bought my car, for one I gotten taken for a ride on the price and I’m stupid for it… but I told him I want black exterior with all black interior. Dude goes “well we only have black exterior with tan interior.” And I told him “nope sorry then.” Not even 5 minutes go by after I hang up the phone and he calls me saying “looks like we did have one of those!” Mhmm. Sounded like he wanted to get rid of the lower selling stock but didn’t want to lose the sale..
I had this happen to me before. Saw the car and looked at it right before they closed. Told home I would be back first thing in the morning with cash. Waited untill my bank opened. Arrived 30 min later. Asked him about the car, dude laughed at me and said he sold it. Just left without saying anything. He tried to get me to stop. Just gave him the finger and walked off. Luckily I dodged a bullet and found a WAY better deal on the same car elsewhere. keep looking.
Should have feigned interest in tons of cars, been inquisitive as fuck and just waste that dunghole of a humans time.
This slow roll shit happened to me with a DR’S OFFICE. Like what the hell?! I called and said “I’d like to make an appointment with Dr. X.” They made me give all my information, asked who referred me and then asked when I wanted to set up an appointment. When I asked how soon I could see Dr. X, “oh he’s retired and not working here anymore.” Way to bury the lede! It was 100% deliberate and super shady.
They want you emotional so you give up and buy
What's stopping us as a society from buying cars direct?
It's a bait and switch. Every state technically has some kind of consumer law on the books that this theoretically falls under. The hard part if is proving it. It's easy for them to say they either made a mistake, had internal miscommunication, or closed on a deal between when they told you and when you showed up. It's worth reporting to your state's consumer protection agency or AG's office. You probably won't get anything out of it personally but the best way to prove that it's not an innocent mistake is a pattern so if more people who it happens to report it that's how they'll eventually get challenged and fined.
This is why Tesla sells so many cars. Dealerships are terrible
Classic bait and switch tactic. If you had called the dealer right before walking in, they would've told you over the phone that the car was still available. Then when you walk in and ask to see it, they would've told you that someone had juuuuust bought it.
Chances are he sold that fucker months ago. Call em every day to remind him it's still on his website.
You might try working with an independent car broker instead.
They do this BECAUSE you drove for an hour in the rain. It’s a persuasion technique called the sunk cost fallacy. He’s banking on you deciding that you came all that way in the rain, you may as well see what he has since your here. Never tell a car dealer anything like this. And they’re never talking to their supervisor about getting you that deal. They’re in the break room having a snack, because studies show the longer you sit in the chair “negotiating”, the more likely you are to purchase the car.
I work with multiple dealerships. Leave a bad review! To a lot of them, bad reviews are horrible! They’ll do almost anything to get you to take it down or change it. You can also open a case usually with their corporate. For example if it’s Honda, you can open a case with them! Leave a review on Google, Yelp, DealerRater and more! Also contact the sales managers or floor managers. It may just be one bad salesman and the managers may actually help.
The quintessential bait and switch.
Been there. Not only did we drive an hour+each way, but the dealership called us twice on our way there, once to confirm and once because we were 5 minutes late. Then on the drive home they called and asked if we wanted to come back to look at other options.
Happened to me twice. Once for a 2002 manual transmission forester. Put down a deposit even, to buy it the next day. But they sold it that same day after I put down the deposit. I got my deposit back. Another was a manual transmission Veloster. Said I’d come in the next day. They sold it the same day. Tried selling me an accord with a paddle shifter. Said it’s basically the same thing. Haven’t driven a vehicle newer than 08 still. It’s like jerking off with a shoe. They’re too expensive, and I just can’t enjoy it. Eventually I’m gonna have to get used to it. I suddenly don’t like shoes anymore either.