New Truck Dealer buying Scam list to prepare buyers.

I buy a new car every year or two (sometimes for relatives or friends ), worked at a scummy Car dealership and have walked away from many deals because of Scams done by dealers. I figured I'd list the ones I've seen to help buyers prepare for what might happen when you go to buy that Truck for an agreed upon price (that was a lie to get you in the door). Feel free to add any you've seen. Yes, you can file a complaint or sue the Dealer but that's not going to help. Here's a few.

1- The most common is the Rebate Scam. You get a price quote or respond to a listed price, but when you go to buy it you find out the
price is only if you are Cop/Firefighter, Just Graduated College, are in the Military, are leasing a car from the same company, are in the
Quarter Horse Association, and are financing through the Mfg. When all those are taken away you'r new price is about $500 off MSRP.
2- Preinstalled BS accessories. I walked away from many sales because every single vehicle in the lot had "Nitrogen " in the tires ,pinstripes, Paint shield, Vin # etched into the glass, Interior treatment, and a few others. My favorite part of the Paint Shields is pulling out the owners manual and showing the Dealers how they Technically just voided the factory Paint Warranty on every vehicle that had the
mystery Juice applied. To be fair, they usually don't actually do these things they charge for.
3- Extra handling fees. I walked away fro a 2019 at Elgin Toyota because even after 4 confirmations on price (including a call from one of 20 "Sales Managers" that mysteriously disappeared when I arrived) they tried to add a $1095 "Handling fee". The snake tried to justify this by saying they "had to because the price was so low" and "Every dealer adds something". I explained that out of 17 new cars I've bought that not every dealer adds things. They're still are sitting on that 2019 Tacoma as of yesterday. I bought a 2020 for $1,000 more in the exact color I wanted, I was ecstatic.
4- Double Destination Charges. I wen't to buy a Wrangler where they tried to add a destination charge even though it was included and listed on the MSRP. After the 3rd time I pointed it out the salesman claimed " At that price I have to add that". I bought a Wrangler for $2900 less at a different dealership.
5- Car never really existed. You go to buy the car but mysteriously after 6 months of sitting on the lot someone just bought the car right before you showed up. Of course they have other similar and more expensive versions to look at. The best is asking 3 different employees when the car sold and watching them make up 3 different answers. I once spoke to a Car porter who told me he never saw a car in that color in the past year.
6- Pre-installed acessories. Even though that obscenely overpriced $1200 soft bed cover (that no one told you about) can be easily removed they "Can't" take it off since it's been installed. They usually are willing to Negotiate on that overpriced junk you don't want I offer them one penny and walk when they don't accept it.

 

Dealers are such trash. I really hate dealing with them. Thanks for posting this.

 

Ford, Chevy, and Nissan dealers are the Worst. Honda and Subaru dealers are the best. Toyota tends to be in the middle.

 

For anyone who watches scotty kilmer, He just did a video on a lady who got scammed in TX. She bought her new truck, signed the papers, and the salesman put on another $12,000 worth of extra charges. She didn't know about it until she got her first bill. After he did a video on it, it created an uproar and people flooded the dealer with calls and reviews. They cut the woman a check for $12,000 to stop it. Looking at that dealers reviews, it appears that woman isn't the only one they've done it to.

 

That’s a great list. I had the “that’s only for active duty” pulled on me once at a Toyota dealership, which, as a vet, I found pretty offensive. Salesman insisted it was in the fine print on the website. When challenged to show me he could not. He immediately ran a new price sheet with the discount, but by then the experience had already flipped my switch to off. I walked out after telling them to treat customers better.

 

There's a special place in hell for car sales-people and lawyers!

 

Nothing new here. Maybe for first time buyers, but it sure isn’t my first rodeo. It’s also the reason I always get everything in writing before stepping foot on the lot. That includes pictures of the window sticker.

The list is appreciated.

 

This garbage is why I love my brother in law. He's quit dealerships that pull this crap. Now he owns his own used car lot in Savannah. No games. Just a decent car at a decent price.

 

I’m always careful to negotiate an “out the door price” that includes all TT&L, delivery fees, etc. I usually tell them that I will be writing a check for the amount of the car and need to know the all-in, out the door price.

That check is usually from the company I’ve arranged for financing before I show up.

 

my experience is just the dealers themselves. Doesn't really associate with brand. Comes down to sales manager.

 

Don't they say " hey we have a serious buyer for your truck" are you willing to sell it? -dealership?

 

Was really pleased with my dealer. Agreed on a price in email, I came in, test drove it and loved it. We sat down to do the financials and he informed me that they added tint, but zeroed it out on the invoice so we were back at the agreed upon price. Negotiated a few extra goodies and was on my way. Seriously easy transaction and never caught any upsell or scam.

 

I got my truck from Del Toyota in PA. It was a 1000 mile drive from me, but they had zero run around, zero garbage fees.
We handed them the cash (paid in full) and they took the protective film off the truck and gave us the keys.
The only extras they put on were things I actually wanted (bed mat, door edge guard, door sill covers) they didn’t add a huge markup on them either. But that might be because we paid cash straight to the dealer.

 

My truck came with 78% nitrogen filled tires free of charge.

 

If you didn’t get upgraded to the 1% argons then you got scammed.

 

If you're financing through the dealer, never leave until the interest rate is finalized. Many will let you leave with it, then call you later and say sorry the interest rate will be higher.

It's best to have pre approval through a lender, but doesn't hurt if the dealer can find someone lower like Toyota financial.

The final out the door price is the most important, never be a payment buyer.

If you're trading in, you'll lose leverage.

 

My sister went to look at a leftover 2019 4Runner last September at a dealer here in Orlando. She had her own financing.

The dealer wouldn't provide an itemized sheet after multiple tries asking until we were about to walk. After we agreed on a price, they wanted to put her on a "backup contract" with their financing to release the vehicle to her. They said it was to prove that "she wasn't a terrorist" and that they do that for all buyers. That would have knocked her credit score even lower.

We promptly walked away and found another dealer 200 miles away which gave her a $5k discount with her own financing a month later. No dealer games.

 

I’ve purchased about 15 vehicles and negotiated on many more over the years. I have never seen anything you’ve listed except for pre installed accessories.

 

A lot depends on the ownership and the GM. But I agree, being a car salesman has to be one of the scummiest professions on planet earth. The low life management at some dealerships promote a lot of what you mentioned.

I went to look at an F-150 many years ago and two salesman opened the hood on a brand new Mustang GT. They then proceeded to jump the battery terminals and make sparks with the screwdriver they just used to attach a dealership plate to a customers car. I immediately walked to my car.

 

Thanks for sharing this. Chevrolet was the worst with the money off and the little number beside it for that amount off. I can’t stand car dealers.