Dissappointment with Dealer whom I've bought 4 Toyos from...

I went through the mandatory add on in the DFW area...ended up getting the same Nissan Versa in Dayton, Ohio for 13k, vs 17k in DFW...the only difference was 2k in wheels and tires, plus pinstriping.

Caveat Emptor

Howard

 

I may add, forget about it, you may live longer, keep a lot of more hair in you-re head, and you will be much happier.

 

Treading on friendship or family to get a good deal, well let's say it is unwise at best. Just do your homework and know what you will and will not pay. Be ready to write a check or walk out the door which ever fills the moment but don't expect favors because of being long time customers. Each transaction is its own and should not reflect on the next or carry expected special treatment in the future. Remember your doing a business deal, not a friendship deal. You want the best price and the salesperson wants the biggest check.

 

Why didn't you contact your insurance company?

It's only like $50 for OEM Glass.

 

I'll tell you what your relationship is with the dealer: their job is the take as much as they can from you.

 

the first mistake was you thinking he was your friend... he's only there to make money for himself. second, the internet is your friend... shop around.

 

At the end of the day, it's your responsibility to make sure the "deal" is a good one for you. The sales guy's only responsibility is to make sure the "deal" is good for the dealership.

When I was 19 years old I bought a brand new Honda Prelude. My father happened to be visiting a different city and walked into a Honda dealership and negotiated a deal. I took that deal to my local Honda dealership and asked them to match it. They said they could not, so I bought the car from the other dealership.

About 6months later, I booked a oil change at my local dealership and also had a warranty issue (ripped leather seat).

The guy asked me: Did you buy the car from us? (I said no). He asked: But you live here? (I said yes). He said, "we can't help you with your seat. You should go back to the dealership where you bought the car from and see if they can help you."

A lot happened after that, to the point where I actually had a meeting with the owner of the dealership!

Suffice it to say, I have never stepped foot in that dealership again!

 

I thought it was understood that dealerships were a business and businesses enjoying making money. Correct me if I'm wrong here. Getting a good deal on a car is really a state of mind that every customer has for themselves. I got my Tacoma through USAA for about $3500 below what others have paid for the same exact vehicle. In fact it was lower that what many people paid for a "lesser" Tacoma. Complaining about dealership woes seems kind of silly but hopefully you've learned your lesson.

 

I wouldn't take it so hard, most of us have been "Taken" a time or two, you sound like a Stand-up guy with a lot of character, don't let this sour you, I'll respect a guy with character over a money grabber anyday!! jmop

 

well said!

rips in seat fabric is not a covered item...typically they will only cover it if its a seam thats coming undone. could be the reason why they said to go to your selling dealer for possible goodwill consideration. since they didnt sell the vehicle, they cant do it under "goodwill".


these stories never get old.

 

Or maybe this guy has a different boss than last time. Maybe rules and stuff at his job have changed.

Now the one dealership horror story I have and will share is one in which 2 dealers outright lied to me, and GM agreed with me that they lied. One fellow in particular claimed to not know of a secret warranty and 2 months later told me he'd done this many times over the years. That's a little different though.

Not always possible these days, especially in the automotive world, but this is why I attempt to build a relationship with small businesses when I can. Still nothing for sure but in my experience they remember you more sometimes.

 

?? wat is this secret warranty you speak of??

 

It was covered. They just didn't want to do it because I didn't buy the car from them. I ended up going to another Honda dealership about 45min away who was more than happy to do the work.

 

It's ok to trust a business. I find that it works often enough to be ok to do.

It's also ok to move on when they f*&#+ you.

It's not ok to give them a second chance.

Find another and don't look back.

 

This works well - that way you are a mile away from them and they have no shoes ....

 

My two cents, about what it is worth.

In another life decades ago I sold cars for awhile, Toyotas in fact. Here is what I learned.

A manager I worked for encouraged me to make as much as I could off my relatives since they would trust me. I advised my parents they would get the best deal if they did not buy from me. They did anyways.

I was also taught a customer gets a good deal when they feel they got a good deal. Not all deals depend on price to determine if they are good or not.

To the OP, knowing what you do now you have the knowledge to get the best deal from "the guy". Set aside your bruised pride and let the guy know how you feel and that he will REALLY have to earn your business next time. Then call multiple dealers over and over until no one will beat the lowest price after having had several chances to do so. And tell every dealer that is exactly what you are doing. "The guy" did not take your friendship personally, you should not take his lack of friendship personally. His job is to make you feel the deal is a good one and you must have if you bought the vehicle and left. The hard fact is you needed to do a better job negotiating the deal, no disrespect intended.

I suspect you will not make the same mistake again.

As for the comment that all car sales people are untrustworthy, I was lied to by customers often and never lied once, which probably explains why I lasted only a year and a half in the business.

 

Op; you got networked. Been in sales for 30 years and you got guppies. You had a good credit score and they gave you the deal as lead in. That deal bought them 30 deals after. He was never a friend, just "your guy". If he put 30 deals in your pocket then he was a friend. Learn how to network guppy. Every deal you sank for him should have been followed up by you taking credit, finders fee, perk. I bet you never did that. You have to take your credits, not like most of you referrals even mentioned you. I bet he didn't even know most of them were from you.

When I was in sales, I made sure that they told me if referred. That guy always got perked. Gift card whatever. Referer always got comped.

Next time, speak up

 

Yeah, we got shafted our first car buying experience too. Never will that happened again.

 

Your post will fit in with people doing their own mechanic work and calling the dealership crooks, but it has nothing to with the OP's post.

Dealerships will not 'screw you', but their goal is to get as much money from you as possible during the sale.

I'd like to know if you ever bought a new vehicle, if you did, would YOU be the guy to pay the sticker price and not haggle the price down because you're concerned the salesman has to put food on his table????????


... I doubt it.

 

You made perfect sense before you said "speak up"

No no no no no

You did everything right before that point.

Customer isn't supposed to be part of a system. They don't have to do shit. They hand over money. They get product.

That's where it fails. When a salesperson thinks customers are part of a silly game.

Dude. All they want is their money's worth and a good product, and respect.

The rest is on customer service.

Think it's easier to get new customers than it is to keep old ones, then more power to you.