Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Smart Shopper 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
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 6:47 pm) 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...
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: golic (Feb 26, 2009 8:26 pm) 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. |
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 26, 2009 5:36 pm) 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. 
|
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 27, 2009 8:00 am) You're right on the money. |
|
|
Replying to: verdugo (Feb 27, 2009 9:35 am) 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. 
|
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 27, 2009 8:00 am) The problem with the "honest deal" is it is just that, it's neither a great deal or a poor one... just decent. The dealerships definition of what a good deal is will always be a lot more $$$ than what a consumer thinks it should be. That is probably why your friend went somewhere else. I have strong ties to two general managers at local dealerships. They think $600 over invoice is a fair and honest price for car x. I'm sure for the most part it is, as they have to look at all the overhead and expenses. But, when others are getting car x at $600 below invoice, and still getting good service, well it's a no brainer. The vast majority of the time one is better off financially going in to work their own deal, instead of a friends referral for them to be "taken care of".
|
|
|
Replying to: jipster (Feb 27, 2009 11:21 am) They kept telling me I was foolish for passing up this service, that if my car was stolen this would make it sooo easy to get my car back. My retort was listen, if my car is stolen I want the check from the insurance agency I don't want the car back!! And don't even get me started on pin stripping and wheel locks! |
|
|
Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Feb 27, 2009 8:00 am) I would like to help her, but now when she asks I just say, sorry, I don't have a clue. 
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: jipster (Feb 27, 2009 11:35 am) Basically, to my mind, she traded away prompt service, courtesy, lack of strong arm tactics, clean waiting rooms, a thorough new car prep and demonstration, and prompt and fair warranty correction in the future, etc. for a lousy $300.
|
|
|
Replying to: jipster (Feb 27, 2009 11:21 am) I have no problem with them selling add ons. |
|
You are here:
Forums
Smart Shopper Purchasing Strategies - Questions & Success Stories
