Sign In Join 



Purchasing Strategies - Questions & Success Stories

3884 messages,  Last post on Apr 08, 2009 at 1:08 PM

You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester

What is this discussion about? Car Buying


Messages Page 387 of 389
1
...
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion

#3856 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by mikefm58
Feb 26, 2009 (5:59 pm)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 5:36 pm)

You should have gone with her, sounds like she was just inexperienced. A lamb among wolves.
#3857 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by imidazol97
Feb 26, 2009 (6:24 pm)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 5:08 pm)

> goes to the "great quote" only to be oversold on all this other stuff to make up for the impossible quote she got---in the end paying more.
 
I hope you explained what happened to her and how much it cost her.
#3858 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [imidazol97] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Feb 26, 2009 (6:47 pm)
Reply

Replying to: imidazol97 (Feb 26, 2009 6:24 pm)

Actually I was kind of mad at her, too. But you know, some buyers are gun shy and not apt to believe me any more than anyone else.
 
It is a bit perverse, if you think about it, when someone calls YOU up, asks for your advice---and you give it in detail, set them all up---and they go do something else after all.
 
#3859 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by jipster
Feb 26, 2009 (7:07 pm)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 5:08 pm)

I wouldn't like it either if it happened to someone I knew, but it sounds like the dealership was just doing their job. That is sell as much overpriced stuff as possible to increase their profit margin. You say they were "deceptive", but they gave your friend the price they promised.
 
Would like to know the details on price under invoice and the add-ons your friend bought. If she got a "impossible" price on the car only, she probably still did pretty well overall... even with the add-ons. i.e If she bought an extended warranty, that would come in handy and is worthwhile. The pin-striping, fabric protection, wax protection and similar add-ons would indeed be fairly worthless.
 
The Kia dealerships in my area, under one owner, advertise very good prices(* excludes dealer add-ons). You show up and they have this crappy alarm system dealer add-on (swipe a card through a sensor to allow car to start) that adds about $1,400 to the car. It is on every stinking car on their lot. Would be worthless to me, probably cost the dealership 200 or 300 bucks installed.
#3860 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [jipster] by imidazol97
Feb 26, 2009 (7:57 pm)
Reply

Replying to: jipster (Feb 26, 2009 7:07 pm)

>impossible" price on the car only
 
The problem is I feel confident if she had refused any or all of the mop and glo addons, she wouldn't have gotten the car.
 
I recall buying a digital camera 4 years ago. I knew exactly the one I wanted. It was available through all kinds of internet sales sites and even NY city store sites at very low prices. The prices were way below the market.
 
The reports about the vendors when I googled them on the internet were that they won't sell it to you for the advertised price. After entering your order, you get a call that there are all these things you need to buy that add to the price. I believe things like batteries (which come in the box) and strap and ... They would add on extras that were required like lens cleaning cloths and sprays--all kinds of gimmicks. If you refused those, they didn't sell you the camera.
#3861 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by golic
Feb 26, 2009 (8:26 pm)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 6:47 pm)

Hey Mr. Shiftright -
 
You know what, you did everything right. Don't be mad. Everyone did their job, your dealership gave her a great price, next time you tell them let them know "you can lead a fish to water..."
 
The other dealership did their job as well, your friend should have known better.
 
I know how you feel. I have been a cpa specializing in corporate and personal taxes for over 15 years. I have a masters, I give speeches, I teach other cpa's, I can't tell you how many times I get a "friend" calling for some free advice..I get them a detailed answer. Then a few weeks later I ask them how it went, only to find out they discarded my advice because "joe" at the rotary club/bowling alley/garage said he could do it another way.
 
Hey, let it blow over and ask her to take you out for lunch in her new car...
#3862 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [golic] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Feb 27, 2009 (8:00 am)
Reply

Replying to: golic (Feb 26, 2009 8:26 pm)

Oh I don't hold grudges. But I'm not going to give her car advice again. You know, when I engage my friends in the auto business, call 'em up and say "take care of so and so", well, they DO go out of their way---red carpet and all that. I can't expect them to GIVE things away to my friends but they do give them the very best treatment and an honest deal.
 
So after arranging all that and setting these mechanisms in motion, and "calling in a favor", to have it all tossed away by the friend is quite discouraging.
 
I had a similar thing last year. With tires. I set up for someone to go to an *excellent* tire place, that gives great service, free tire repairs, courtesy car, clean shop and waiting room, good prices, telephone follow ups, superb alignment equipment, the best balancing machines....
 
And what does the person do?
 
Stiffs them, and goes to Costco to save $19 a tire on an older Porsche. AND then have to get it aligned elsewhere. AND badly as it turns out.
 
Smack me on the head, why don't you?
 
To bring this all back to the topic at hand----don't just shop price, you have to shop SERVICE as well. Good service is translatable into dollars.
#3863 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by verdugo
Feb 27, 2009 (9:35 am)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 5:36 pm)

and the woman is somewhat culpable
 
I'd say it's all her fault. The dealership was just trying to maximize profit. I'm not excusing their unethical behavior.
 
The customer is the one spending their money. It's their responsibility, and their responsibility only, to make sure they're not taken for a ride.
 
Sounds like your friend had the right idea by consulting with you, but didn't follow all your advice. Hope she learned her lesson, and tells everybody about this bad dealership.
#3864 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [Mr_Shiftright] by verdugo
Feb 27, 2009 (9:37 am)
Reply

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 27, 2009 8:00 am)

don't just shop price, you have to shop SERVICE as well
 
You're right on the money.
#3865 of 3884
Re: Stay on the fence... [verdugo] by jipster
Feb 27, 2009 (11:21 am)
Reply

Replying to: verdugo (Feb 27, 2009 9:35 am)

I'm not excusing their unethical behavior.
 
Without any details from shifty, it's a bit premature to say the dealership was being unethical. How much did this lady friend pay for the car? What dealer add-ons did she buy? How much did she pay for them? Did she have a need or want for what was sold? As has been said many times, the dealership tries to sell everybody that walks in the extras. They'd be dumb not to.
 
When I assisted my niece with her Hyundai purchase (looked at Kia), I advised her
to pass on the worthless dealer add-ons. Act as if they aren't even there when considering a price. She almost bit on the worthless alarm system add-on at the Kia dealership. Was nice that she listened to ole jip. I saved her a couple thousand bucks.

Messages Page 387 of 389
1
...
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion
To POST a message, please Sign In.

New? Join Now!

Forum Tools

Please sign in.
Email Address:

Password:

Forgot Password?

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s)

Advanced Search

Browse by Vehicle



View All Vehicles
Advertisement
Ask the Community
See What People Are Asking

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic


View All Topics

Today's Chats

Advertisement