Worst dealership/salesman experience?

Used car guy took my keys to evaluate for trade in. Salesman kept pushing me to sign paperwork (before I even know what they'd give on trade-in). Kept me there a while. I demanded my keys. Sales manager (huge guy) came and stood to block the doorway, asking me what they had to do to get me to sign that day. Went on for like 10 minutes. I finally stood up and said "You're physically blocking my exit. You're twice my size and from your stance played football. Lineman? I play hockey. Care to find out who has the better center of gravity and mobility? Get the f--- outta my way or I'll embarrass you in front of your entire staff and you'll lose their respect. And the lawsuit." He finally stepped aside, but I was then told the used car guy had gone to lunch with my keys by accident, AND left his phone on his desk. So I walked over to a show room car opened the door and SLAMMED it closed. "Where are my keys?" Blank stares. Open- SLAM. "WHERE. ARE. MY. KEYS???" -"Sir, you can't..." Open- SLAAAMMM "GET MY KEYS NOW". Everyone was staring at me.

Finally my keys were thrown to me by a scared used car guy (who obviously hadn't left). I announced loudly to the crowd of customers (Saturday afternoon) that they shouldn't give their keys over unless they had dialed 911 on their phone and were ready to hit Send to file a complaint of being held against their will.

No shit- later that day the salesman called to ask what he could do to get me into a new car. I let loose a tirade that my daughter still laughs about today. As promised, when I bought my new car at a different dealer, I pulled into the assholes' lot beeping and having everyone, including said 5 year old daughter, flip off the all the sales guys. I did every time I drove by. For years. It takes a lot to piss me off, but it's a dumb thing to do.


Bought a used Jetta TDI at a VW dealer. Got home and saw that the windshield had a small crack in the upper corner. Called to say they had to replace it. They said it happened on my way home (20 minutes). I said nothing hit it, etc. They said they had a 107 point inspection on their certified pre-owned cars, so that "proved" it wasn't cracked when I bought it. I printed the 107 checkpoint list and went over the car myself, drove back to the dealer and showed him that at least 38 of the supposed checkpoints hadn't been checked/corrected, so he could either replace the windshield, or I'd sue for breach of contract and let everyone know that they didn't bother to check their own list. 2 days later, I was polishing my nice, new, free windshield, and was happy to see that all the other checkpoints had been taken care of as well. They were incredibly nit-picky, like the clock being wrong, but it showed they hadn't done their jobs and that CPO is BS, at least at that dealership. As diesel prices rose, we sold the car. RIGHT before the VW diesel emissions scandal news broke. PHEW! Value dropped big time after that!

Good stories
My wife was pregnant and really moody with the salesman, who was a grandfather and close to retirement. Nice guy and this was the 3rd car we were buying through him. They were haggling and I was laughing. Wife got really nasty, every few minutes rebutting something he said, even if she'd already agreed to it... So we got a smoking deal, and about 12 hours later had our first kid (the one who flipped off the dealer in story #1 up there). She was in labor, but being a rookie, didn't know it. lol

Wife is terrible with numbers. We had a deal at a dealer for $25,200. They couldn't get the exact model we wanted (manual), so they told us the dealership it was at. The 2 dealership owners hated each other, so they couldn't work out a trade... So we drove an hour, and told the second dealer the deal we had in place at the first dealer. My wife gave the correct value for our trade in, then went dyslexic and said "$22,500" for the purchase price. This dealer had promised to honor the deal we had with the 1st dealer. The salesman and manager talked forever and told us they couldn't do it for that price. I stood up to walk out and my wife yelled at the salesman for wasting our time. I added that he just lost the easiest sale he'd ever had, since we came in knowing literally the exact car we wanted, so they'd save time/money if they'd just give us the deal. Signed paperwork a few minutes later, while the sales manager shook his head in disbelief that the first dealer had given us that deal. Turns out, he called the first dealer, who was pissed they had lost the sale due to the 2nd dealer not being willing to trade cars, and agreed that was the price we'd had- because he knew it would screw over the dealer who wouldn't trade with him. He called us the next day to ask if it worked and laughed when we said yes. I waited until we were driving away in our new car before I told my wife she had messed up the price, but her gaff had saved us $2700. Hated the car (Mazda) but love the deal and story.

 

harlingen texas toyota is a cesspool

they try to get you to agree to payment wayyyy before anything is done

got in a big fight with them about it.


kept going in circles I need to know my interest rate, ok well is this payment ok?

need to know the interest rate?

 

I just dont understand salesmen that dont know anything about thier vehicles... I could understand if they dont know specifcs like packages details and such, but not knowing what packages are available, or what the engine HP/TQ numbers are, transmission type (CVT/auto/5,6, 8 speed etc...) not knowing what addons are available.. just kinda dumb..

the bad dealers:
#1 2001(I was 18 at the time, had been driving my fathers old 1989 mercury tracer 5spd) I go into a local Shepard dodge/jeep dealership in Thomaston, Maine, and was looking at used vehicles on their lot.. they had a VW golf I was interested in. I entered the sales floor and was asked by the salesman what my pricerange was (my parents were buying me my first car as part of my inheritance/education fund from my grandparents, i was told around $13k but flexible if we found the right car.) told the salesman about 13k for budget.. real snotty like he replied, "well that VW is $15k" told him "i still want to check it out and to get me the keys", I give him my license, and he makes a photocopy, and asks me my information, I give it to him, he reluctantly gives me the keys. i head out and unlock the drivers door, look at the interior.. liked it, and looked in the trunk, and sat in the back seat.. not bad, comfortable, go to turn the key in the ignition.. nothing, battery is dead.. head back in, tell them the battery is dead in that car.. salesman just says "welp, i'll let the techs know".. I walked out of there never to return.. no effort to jump the car, or say, give me 15 minutes we can jump the car, no interest at all to sell a car to an 18 year old..

I wound up finding a better dealer Brunswick, Maine chevy/mazda a little further away, he actually talked with me, and understood what I wanted, and they fixed the issues the car had (small tear in vinyl on drivers rear door)... wound up buying a 1999 honda accord lx 5spd for 15,500 CASH..

#2 2006 I was looking at trading in my honda accord for a CIVIC SI Salesman was nice enough, but they couldnt get the payment down low enough for me... I had to tell the salesman no, and sorry for wasting his time. again this was one of those no knowledge of product...

#3 2008 Wiscassett, Maine Ford I was with my GF at the time looking for a replacement vehicle for my honda passport that I had aquired in a private sale.. we were looking at a 2007 mazda 6 they had for sale on the lot. $12k price on it non- negotiable pricing deals.. just suprised they wouldnt go any lower, I was still un-educated in the ways of car buying/financials, and didnt have the greatest credit, nor did my GF (it was going to be her car).. we got $500 trade in on the passport (it was in rough shape, rust hole in frame, slipping trans, and the engine had a bad lifter tick).. wound up getting financed for 8% by myself as the GF score was so low that to put her on the loan it would jump to 13%.. at this time I didnt have a lot of debt, nor did I have a lot of credit (not a homeowner, no car payments, probably 3k in CC debt).. bought it as we needed something new, safe, and reliable.. working tons of OT, and brought my credit score up enough, and saved enough to buy my house in 2010

#4 2013 I was with the GF now wife again looking at replacing my 1999 honda, it was getting old, and on its second engine (didnt die, but burning oil at 1qt per fuel up).. went to same dealer looking at a new car.. looked at a 2013 ford edge or a exploder.... exploders were out of our price range.. looked at a ford edge crossover.. they would not budge on payments.. $550/month was a bit more than I wanted to chew at the time... wound up going to a goodwin chevy/mazda in Brunswick, Maine test drove the new CX-5 sport and bought it on the spot $480/month.. no trade in

#5 2018 I was looking to upgrade wifes mazda 6 had a bent valve in cylinder #2... I wanted a truck, or jeep... was suprised I was not getting any attention from a lot of the dealers. looking in used lots, not being asked if I needed any help... went to MULTIPLE lots across the state on a week day (friday).. went to my toyota dealer, was looking at vehicels on the lot, no salesmen came up.... so I went to the lobby, and asked if I could be helped.. was interested in a new 3rd gen tacoma they had in front of the entrance (my current truck) I figured it was worth looking at as online they listed it at $32k they had a saleswoman come out and showed me the truck, handed me the keys and said "here lets take it for a spin". She was down to earth, knew most of the features, and allowed me to drive the truck off the showroom curb. went back to the office and ran the numbers.. without me even asking they dropped the price on the truck to 29.5.. I should have asked them to include a bed mat.... bought it on the spot, had my parents come down, and pickup my blue car, and drove my new truck home.. bought parents dinner.

 

After I test drove the Tacoma I went and test drove a Chevy Colorado. The salesman was the typical salesman douchbag. Tried to impress me with his stupid jokes, tried very very hard to tell me Tacoma’s are junk, and basically wouldn’t shut up for more than 5 seconds. I test drove the Colorado but I barely went any where, and he went on about his “rating” or whatever is. After the test drive I was ready to leave because I was not about to let this pushy prick think he can tell me what do. I asked for his card which is the polite way of saying “fuck off im leaving now.” He then proceeds to introduce to the finance guy and I tell him I don’t care, the salesman then proceeds to keep blabbing at me on my way out the door all the way to my car. These cocksuckers are the very reason I hate car shopping. The salesman’s name is Nickolas McIntosh at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet in Lone Tree Colorado. Avoid this douchbag sales man

 

Glutz Motors, Chicago: After negotiating for hours on a custom ordered car I laid down my $500 deposit and collected the financing paperwork, confident that that I made a good deal. Six months later they called me letting me know my model was finally in stock. I rushed down to the dealership ready to finalize the loan and pick up the car, meanwhile I tossed my keys to the service tech for a trade-in evaluation and offer. The sales guy that I had been dealing with for months really decided to show his slime that day as he led me to the car I supposedly ordered. Not only was it the wrong color and the wrong trim, it was the wrong damn model. He tried to convince me that this is what I put my deposit on all along, as if I were an ordinary everyday fool or something. I walked. Or at least I tried to walk. Ed the sales guy tried standing in my path, using every fast talking pitch his little brain could think of to get me to stay. I wasnt having it, I demanded in a loud voice so that everyone could hear, that he have by old car brought back to the front, because I was taking my business elsewhere. Thats when I discovered that the assholes had already sent my car to the crusher. The object that they handed back to me was little more than a metal pancake. Oh I was livid. I demanded (and got) a sweet discount on the pea green wagon that they wound up selling me at least. If you think you hate it now, wait until you drive it.

 

My wife wanted a new car in the early 2000's, and didn't have a specific make/model, so we did the rounds of the dealerships to test drive all the midsized sedans on our list (Accord, Nissan, Mazda and VW). We go to the VW dealership to drive a jetta... park, start looking around, and I see out of the corner of my eye, a guy dressed in an elvis suit walkign towards us. I just know this is going to be our salesman. great.

So he comes up to us, explains that his gimic is to sing as elvis to the people that drive off the lot after buying a car, and he just sold a car but can he help us. I do the spiel about how we're test driving different cars as we don't know what make and model she wants to target (aside: the only salesperson who listened to us and didn't try to sell us a car immediatily was the Mazda one... spoiler... we didnt' buy the mazda, but I always remember that salesperson and how she actually listened to what we were doing). So I say, can we drive an automatic trans jetta? Sure he says. We have one on the lot...

He gets the keys, and says, he'll back it out of the spot. He jumps in and proceeds to rip the bumper off on the curb it was parked over.

He then says, one of the salesman is driving a demo jetta... he'll go get those keys. So he points to the car, and we walk over there and it's filled inside with stuff. Coffee mugs in the cup holders... papers all over the seats... baby seat in the back. So we open the doors, push stuff around and sit in it, and I see Elvis walking over to the car and he's furiously chain smoking... stops at the door... power puffs through the remaining cigarette, blows smoke and gets in teh rear seat. he reeks of cigarette.

We go for the test drive, nothing really monumental happens (except he asked us to turn on teh radio and I said no). We do the whole dance back in teh dealership about how we're not going to buy anything today as we're doing our research... no, there's nothign you can do to put me in this car today except give it to me for free... etc.

We decide on a Honda accord and we happily own that car for 14 years and 300k+ miles.

A month after buying the accord... Elvis calls me and asks if I'm still interested in a Jetta. I tell him no, we decided to go with an accord... and he then kind of starts begging us to buy a jetta even though we already bought the accord. I just say sorry and hang up. Godspeed Elvis.

Aside: buying the accord i negotiated online and wiht the internet managers over the phone with a couple of local dealesrhips and had one guy call me a liar, slam the phone down, call me back and plead with the "I thought we were friends?" line that I still laugh about whenever I talk to a salesperson.

 

Man, this has got to be the best story on this thread thus far haha Should have left the dealership and said, "Thank you, thank you very much"

 

Shopping Mustangs in the early-80's, I actually had a guy tell me "move fast, they're selling like hotcakes". Black leather jacket, smoking a cigarette.

The guy had to be the inspiration for Andrew Dice Clay!

 

Generally speaking, my experiences with sales people at dealerships has been good as I always do my homework when going to buy a new car. If I feel they are trying to play me, I tell them nicely I'm not interested and walk out the door. I have zero tolerance for shady dealmaking.

I also try and settle as much of the deal as I can over the phone before going in, and hold them to the numbers agreed upon. If they try and pull a fast one, I say that's not what we agreed on, and walk out.

 

Brilliant. That airbag though....

 

Basically most of my dealership experiences have been bad. My best experience was with a salesman at Hodges Subaru in Ferndale Michigan only for them to follow that up with their service department crashing my car into the side of their garage. The sales team is top notch at Hodges though.

Suburban Toyota of Troy Michigan has one of the best service departments out there but they also are cutthroat on pricing. They can repair anything and everything and even have a guy who specializes in modified vehicles.
Their sales people are disgusting at Suburban. It is like a piranha tank. The Golling Toyota in Roseville, MI are really nice people but they are complete dip$hits that don't know anything about cars and they have a lot of foreigners who exceptionally don't know anything about cars, but they always put a smile on and treat you like a king.

Serra Toyota in Traverse City hosed me on a 2015 Corolla but that was back before I was as savvy with car buying as I am now, but their service people were good.

I find with both Toyota and Subaru that the sales people are like super pretentious about the product and their job. Most of which don't seem to care about my wants and needs. Like if I go in their asking for a Corolla Hatch 6MT don't for the love of GOD try to sell me a Venza. I know you have 68 Venzas on your lot but I ain't your guy pall. That and the "why do you want manual transmission" question. I just walk away now if someone says that because we are obviously on different paths.

 

Moses Toyota St. Albans WV

I was looking at trading in my 17 Tacoma for a 19 Tundra. Salesman wanted to give me an estimate for my trade. Came back with a ridiculously low offer. When I called him out and told him that KBB listed the truck at around $31,000 and his $27,000 offer was way too low. He proceeds to tell me that KBB doesn't mean that much to them, all the while he had a big advertisement on his office window from KBB showing the Tacoma as the best resale value vehicle. I told him he needs to take down that ad then if it doesn't mean anything.

He came back a few minutes later and said they made a mistake and priced it as an SR5 and not an off-road model with all the extras I had on it. I called BS as they used the VIN # to do the estimate and grabbed my keys and left. Bought my Tundra a few months later from another dealer. Sad part is I bought my Tacoma from them and the salesman was great but this one was a POS.

 

I had several failed attempts to buy my truck, I clarified I wanted a black interior... and double cab. Exterior color wasn't as important but black was my first choice.
1. Walked into the used dealership... They took one look at me and ignored me. Finally when I got someone's attention they told me the budget >$15k lot was across the street... Then didn't even chat with me.
2. Went into dealership and someone took me more seriously, kept asking if I was trading in the car I drove in(my moms) and I said no. Then tried to keep adding value for optional items the previous owner added but for full new price. Also tried selling me smaller vehicles.
3. Finally I found another truck at a dealer about 2 hours from me. Called them in, they had it out being test driven and I asked a list of questions. Luckily they answered them all, the previous owner worked at their dealership and traded for a WRX. Put a $200 refundable deposit on the truck over the phone and asked when the earliest I could pick it up was. I was able to be there when they opened the next day and they had it ready for a test drive. I thank my salesman Dylan because he had the plates ready, all the paperwork and I was able to get in, drive the car and then finish off my end of the paperwork. All while the other salesmen thought they should be talking to my mom thinking the money was coming from her.. Nope, paid in full from my own savings.

Oh and my insurance agent's secretary misquoted my insurance cost. Gave her the specs 2016 double cab 4x4 off road tacoma multiple times to make sure she had the right vehicle. Quoted $400/6mo figured no way cheaper than a 2013 CRV(my moms) I estimated about $600. Got the truck. sent the VIN. It was over $1000 for 6/mo. Raised my deductible a bit, but not to an un affordable rate. Still. Was NOT happy. Luckily now my rates have dropped almost 50% since I turned 25 and the truck turned 3.

 

I made out like a bandit on the emissions scandal. Just got another check from bosch last week for $190 or so. Recently bought a '15 Sportwagen TDI for the wife loaded to the gills with 19K on the clock for $19.5OTD, original invoice on the car was 37K. Thank you Bosch and VW for paying to take my car, and crushing the prices on your now able to sell vehicles.

 

Very interesting

I had one mediocre experience with Subaru, but my wife has bought many Subarus over the years and most of the time their new car sales experience has been outstanding. I find Subaru tends to be much less flexible on pricing compared to Toyota -- you generally pay close to MSRP -- but on the flip side they are usually very transparent and straightforward with the entire process. Basically, you pay a higher price, but they end up treating you very well.

 

Lol No matter what I do I can't help that I am from Northern Wisconsin

 

Nice. When we bought it diesel was cheaper than gas. As diesel prices rose above gas we dumped it for short term economic reasons. Not too upset. Like most VWs it had random electrical problems. My wife is like a gecko, so she didn't want to get the seat heater recall taken care of. She liked that it got just about hot enough to cause the leather seats to burst into flames.

 

Ran out of gas while test driving a Cruz. Salesman said "Don't worry about it. Lots in there." after my wife tells him the fuel light is on.

Had to wait for the dealership tow truck in stifling hot weather.