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Car dealerships can blow me...

GRADS

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I hope I don't insult any dealers on here but I forgot how bad the car buying experience is. The fucking games/scamming has gotten even worse. Went into the dealership tonight to look at $9K Smart car. The car is maybe worth half that. I looked at it and it was beat up. I said look, don't waist my time or yours, I'll pay $5K for this thing or about that. They wanted my license again and a credit application, I'm like what the fuck? I'll pay in hundy's what's the point. Eventually I realized I knew the GM from partying 20 years ago and went straight to him. Turns out he's buried on that car and that's why it's been on his lot for 6 months.

This is why I enjoy CarMax and will most likely buy a little more expensive car from the tomorrow.

Or I will only buy new with the X plan or something like that.

Some of my best friends are dealers but what a scamming culture.
 

CJ_Donahue

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I think the list of who or what you wouldn't let blow you would be shorter than who can blow you.
 

Ziggy

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I understand perfectly how easy it is to get hung up on internal value. Took me a while to force myself to cut losses on "that one car" and move on. Sales people totally loose motivation to sell it too.
Hope you find the perfect Swatch-car you're looking for, one that satisfies you and the seller.
 

Uncle Dave

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I hope I don't insult any dealers on here but I forgot how bad the car buying experience is. The fucking games/scamming has gotten even worse. Went into the dealership tonight to look at $9K Smart car. The car is maybe worth half that. I looked at it and it was beat up. I said look, don't waist my time or yours, I'll pay $5K for this thing or about that. They wanted my license again and a credit application, I'm like what the fuck? I'll pay in hundy's what's the point. Eventually I realized I knew the GM from partying 20 years ago and went straight to him. Turns out he's buried on that car and that's why it's been on his lot for 6 months.

This is why I enjoy CarMax and will most likely buy a little more expensive car from the tomorrow.

Or I will only buy new with the X plan or something like that.

Some of my best friends are dealers but what a scamming culture.

What?

You mean you dont appreciate their steadfast "protection" from the evil manufacturers that could fleece the public?

Clearly you must be missing the multitude of benefits they provide to the "communities they serve" (LOL)

The construct of NADA is a complete scam forcing the US public to buy from a dealer network insuring we pay a middle man.

Its legalized restraint of free trade..

Only way around it is to completely control the purchase by walking in knowing the exact price you are going to pay on the exact car you want to buy thats sitting right there on their lot - and knowing where another one is so you can walk out and take your money elsewhere any second.


UD
 

Gelcoater

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I hope I don't insult any dealers on here but I forgot how bad the car buying experience is. The fucking games/scamming has gotten even worse. Went into the dealership tonight to look at $9K Smart car. The car is maybe worth half that. I looked at it and it was beat up. I said look, don't waist my time or yours, I'll pay $5K for this thing or about that. They wanted my license again and a credit application, I'm like what the fuck? I'll pay in hundy's what's the point. Eventually I realized I knew the GM from partying 20 years ago and went straight to him. Turns out he's buried on that car and that's why it's been on his lot for 6 months.

This is why I enjoy CarMax and will most likely buy a little more expensive car from the tomorrow.

Or I will only buy new with the X plan or something like that.

Some of my best friends are dealers but what a scamming culture.
Smart Car:D

When you’re ready to sack up I know a guy selling a clean, very very low mileage Viper;)
 

78Southwind

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About three years ago, I had a deal in the bag (at least I thought) since I did everything over the phone and they emailed me a cash deal structure. I drove about an hour and half for this deal and when I get there, I am thinking I shouldn't be here anymore than an hour. These assholes completely changed the deal on me and gave me that bullshit story where they say they have to get their manager (four managers later). It went as far as the general manager texting me for days. I was so pissed, I finally went to General Motor's customer service. The GM didn't believe that I was going to do it even though I told him that's what I was going to do. This GM went as far as to change their website showing the discounts that they were offering. I had the cash deal structure paperwork and the website screen shot. It ended up going my way but I will never buy another car from that dealership.
 
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Dalton

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you driving the smart car to havasu?
 

2FORCEFULL

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I hope I don't insult any dealers on here but I forgot how bad the car buying experience is. The fucking games/scamming has gotten even worse. Went into the dealership tonight to look at $9K Smart car. The car is maybe worth half that. I looked at it and it was beat up. I said look, don't waist my time or yours, I'll pay $5K for this thing or about that. They wanted my license again and a credit application, I'm like what the fuck? I'll pay in hundy's what's the point. Eventually I realized I knew the GM from partying 20 years ago and went straight to him. Turns out he's buried on that car and that's why it's been on his lot for 6 months.

This is why I enjoy CarMax and will most likely buy a little more expensive car from the tomorrow.

Or I will only buy new with the X plan or something like that.

Some of my best friends are dealers but what a scamming culture.
Do your self a favor and get a fiat 500, they're like the new age VW bug,... I owned 2 smart cars and would never get another... but if I had to It would not be more than a year old....the smart car just doen't have any room for any thing,.. where as the fiat is a hatch back with rear seats.... I got my fiat to tow behind the motor home... but it gets driven the most,.I ended up buy'n a second one to leave at havasu...MY wife and I both can get in the back seat easy, but not so for the plus size people....so we got a sonic with 4 doors.... the fiats are fun to drive....they run with traffic easy...easy to park anywhere...and tow like it's not there...
 

BingerFang

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I love how you didn’t get what you wanted so you go online and throw a tantrum. Are you a millennial? Lol
 

was thatguy

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I hope I don't insult any dealers on here but I forgot how bad the car buying experience is. The fucking games/scamming has gotten even worse. Went into the dealership tonight to look at $9K Smart car. The car is maybe worth half that. I looked at it and it was beat up. I said look, don't waist my time or yours, I'll pay $5K for this thing or about that. They wanted my license again and a credit application, I'm like what the fuck? I'll pay in hundy's what's the point. Eventually I realized I knew the GM from partying 20 years ago and went straight to him. Turns out he's buried on that car and that's why it's been on his lot for 6 months.

This is why I enjoy CarMax and will most likely buy a little more expensive car from the tomorrow.

Or I will only buy new with the X plan or something like that.

Some of my best friends are dealers but what a scamming culture.

I experienced both ends of the spectrum Monday.

Drove to Phoenix to look at a ‘06 C6.
Car looked good on line.
Dealer had it pulled out and parked front and center when my buddy and I arrived.
Car was unwashed, but still looked decent on the exterior.
Inside was well worn. Seat insert was separated on drivers seat.
I drove it and car was gutless, loud, and obviously had been beaten.
The list was like $18,500 or so.
Told the guy it was too beat down for me. He did his sales dance and came back with a sheet showing that he’d get me out the door for $21K all in by knocking 2K off the dealership “refinishing” charge ($2695 normally).
I asked “refinishing charge? The car isn’t even washed and you didn’t even glue the damned seat back together.”
He replied “I don’t do shit until I see some money”
We hightailed it out of there with them literally chasing us saying that the $18,500 was “The lowest Internet price in the State” for that car.
My old C5 was twice the car as that 06 and I felt lucky when I sold it for $15K with a fully disclosed faulty transmission.

Anyway headed over to Sullivan Motor Company to look at a 2011 but it had been sold already.
Salesman “Theo” showed me the 2014 that I ended up buying.
He instantly stated that there is no bullshit refinishing fee or any dealer bullshit add on.
Much like Carmax he said this is the price. Then he knocked $5K off to take it to low book. (I checked it myself online to verify) Then Mr Sullivan himself looked up my trade in which was low/median $8K (I already knew it was) Theo looked him in the eye and said “That Camry will sell in an hour, give him $10K and he will do this deal”.
Theo was right. They didn’t even inspect my Camry, just scanned the vin and boom, I drove away in the Vette.
It was closing time when I left. Theo wanted that sale before they closed. It made a difference.
I told him straight up that his move on my trade in is what sealed the deal. It was only 2 grand difference but it was the way he did it that mattered.
Sullivan is a wholesale operation. The lot is literally jammed with cars. You can’t hardly park there is so many cars.
My car was acquired by them from a Chevy dealership, one owner, traded in at the same dealership as originally purchased. Theo showed me its lineage from the day it originally sold to the day I signed the sales agreement.
About an hour and a half total and I was out of there. They waxed it while I finalized the paperwork.

As I was driving home yesterday the first dealership called to see why I missed my “appointment” for yesterday.
“What appointment?” I asked. “You guys added $695 to the price of that junkpile 06 and tried to make it look like a 2 grand savings, It is the oldest car in your lot, you’ve had it for sale for 42 days, and you did nothing at all to put me in that car except badger me, fuck you”.

Reviews may be mixed, but I’m a fan of Sullivan in Phoenix.
Theo has my business going forward. And being a wholesale operation they can and will shop cars for you.
In fact, anyone buying there be sure to let me know as I now get a $200 referral kickback! Seriously, I do.
 

was thatguy

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On a side note, when I shop cars I dress like a bum. Shorts, tank top, flip flops. (Pretty much my everyday attire anyway)
It tends to separate the motivated salesmen from the money grabbers as they eyeball you when you pull up.
The shysters will just stand there and keep smoking their cigarettes.
The motivated ones will approach.

I actually told Theo that. He said “yeah, well I just sold a $40K car and they’re still standing there”....

Afterwards though we bullshited with them all and they all seemed really cool. It was a good buying experience.
 

monkeyswrench

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On a side note, when I shop cars I dress like a bum. Shorts, tank top, flip flops. (Pretty much my everyday attire anyway)
It tends to separate the motivated salesmen from the money grabbers as they eyeball you when you pull up.
The shysters will just stand there and keep smoking their cigarettes.
The motivated ones will approach.

I actually told Theo that. He said “yeah, well I just sold a $40K car and they’re still standing there”....

Afterwards though we bullshited with them all and they all seemed really cool. It was a good buying experience.
When I was "Ballin" and making good money, I went into an RV dealer. Had stopped by the house and picked up my very pregnant wife, and 4 year old daughter, had just come from work...torn jeans and a stained slingshot...probably tar on my boots. The salesmen didn't bother me at all. They had no interest in us until they saw the truck we got into to leave. Much the same, a guy I know was asked not to sit on a bike at a Harley dealer in O.C. The salesman was a bit snotty about it. The heavily tattooed "guitar player" obliged the salesman. He then drove 50 miles and paid cash at another dealer for the same bike.

This day and age, you can't judge potential buyers or clients. Private sale or on a lot. A guy wearing jeans and a t-shirt may be well off, and no need to show it.
 

Rjt01

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And that’s why I call them steelerships . If u don’t know how the game works then ur gona get fkd over hard . When I bought my 2018 GMC 1500 I went to 4 steelerships and priced out 6 different trucks and got the out the door prices on paper and finally went to Simpson’s gmc and found the truck that I wanted . Long story short I knocked the price down from msrp of $59k to $42k out the door after the incentives and showing them all the offers on the other trucks . I know it was a lot of work to do this but it was worth it.
 

RiverDave

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Do your self a favor and get a fiat 500, they're like the new age VW bug,... I owned 2 smart cars and would never get another... but if I had to It would not be more than a year old....the smart car just doen't have any room for any thing,.. where as the fiat is a hatch back with rear seats.... I got my fiat to tow behind the motor home... but it gets driven the most,.I ended up buy'n a second one to leave at havasu...MY wife and I both can get in the back seat easy, but not so for the plus size people....so we got a sonic with 4 doors.... the fiats are fun to drive....they run with traffic easy...easy to park anywhere...and tow like it's not there...

This!
 

was thatguy

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And that’s why I call them steelerships . If u don’t know how the game works then ur gona get fkd over hard . When I bought my 2018 GMC 1500 I went to 4 steelerships and priced out 6 different trucks and got the out the door prices on paper and finally went to Simpson’s gmc and found the truck that I wanted . Long story short I knocked the price down from msrp of $59k to $42k out the door after the incentives and showing them all the offers on the other trucks . I know it was a lot of work to do this but it was worth it.

Yep.

Car condition aside, I knew in the first 5 minutes that I was not giving the first dealership a dime.
 

TimeBandit

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My wife drives the Japanese version, a 2012 Scion iQ. It only looks gay when I drive it.
 

attitude

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When I was 19 walked into Browning Dodge looking at used Ram 1500s the salesman wouldn’t even unlock the door for me to look inside without a parent, I went to Cerritos Dodge and bought a new one the next weekend lol
 

Xtrmwakeboarder

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Agree 100%, and is one of the many reasons I went with Tesla. Best buying experience ever.
 

LuauLounge

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This is what you should be sporting, electric and seats you and 3 of your shopping honeys.
zap.jpg
 

was thatguy

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Smart Car:D

When you’re ready to sack up I know a guy selling a clean, very very low mileage Viper;)

Did you see what he did with it for parking space?
I was wondering how he was going to fit his new toys in the RV garage...

Solution?
RACK STORAGE!!!
He went up a tier!
The viper is up in the air!
 

Ziggy

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Perhaps the biggest advantage to the smart car is it probably can be curb parked like a motircycle:D:p:D
 

500bbc

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On a side note, when I shop cars I dress like a bum. Shorts, tank top, flip flops. (Pretty much my everyday attire anyway)
It tends to separate the motivated salesmen from the money grabbers as they eyeball you when you pull up.
The shysters will just stand there and keep smoking their cigarettes.
The motivated ones will approach.

I actually told Theo that. He said “yeah, well I just sold a $40K car and they’re still standing there”....

Afterwards though we bullshited with them all and they all seemed really cool. It was a good buying experience.
An old friend of mines dad drove his immaculate VW van with dog in the front seat to the Porsche dealership to buy another Porsche wearing jeans, white T-shirt and flip flops.
He was ignored. He went to the next closest dealer and bought a new one then drove to the first dealership and did a couple doughnuts in the parking lot. :D
 

NicPaus

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My last trip to the dealer for service I was wearing work clothes. Got treated like a broke ass construction worker. So when I got the survey I filled it out with exactly what happened. The GM of the Win Chevy calls me to try and make it right. I told him I had nothing but problems in the past at Martin Chevy do I tried Win. Turns out he was the manager at Martin when I had the other issues.
 

Old Texan

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I always do my homework, have financing set up, and look for the most frequent member of the salesman of the month club. Find the guy that makes the deals and doesn't play games. It's pretty simple.

Never play the game of a sales guy going to the back to consult with the sales manager. 1st time they try that, I'm up and heading for the door.

Never wait for a sales guy to go to his manager. Tell him to bring the manager out to you as you ain't got time. Get up to leave to make your point.

This is a deal that requires blunt and up front talk. Never worry about appearing rude. It's your money they are trying to snooker out of your pocket.
 

Englewood

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The sad part is people take these over-priced car deals!

Was helping my mom get a Grand Cherokee recently. The old couple next to me is buying a lime green charger and the salesman throws out the "Don't worry about the high interest rate. You can always refinance in a year. And also, this will help you build your credit back up."

People buy into the BS and get stuck in a bind for years to come.
 

ka0tyk

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Theres two sides to every story... theres the few that have all their own ducks in a row, financing set up, know exactly what they want, etc... and then theres the old lady that just wants "the red one."

As far as pricing its not difficult to find out what other cars are selling for and get a good ballpark price and hold steady while the salesguy runs back and forth between him and his manager to "get you the best deal." Realize theres a ton of people that go in there expecting to buy a car and get all the way to the finance manager, with the long form only to have lied about their income and their credit score. Thus why they get that out of the way at the beginning so they dont waste both parties time showing you the amg s63 when you're more in a base model c300 budget.
 

Ziggy

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Theres two sides to every story... theres the few that have all their own ducks in a row, financing set up, know exactly what they want, etc... and then theres the old lady that just wants "the red one."

As far as pricing its not difficult to find out what other cars are selling for and get a good ballpark price and hold steady while the salesguy runs back and forth between him and his manager to "get you the best deal." Realize theres a ton of people that go in there expecting to buy a car and get all the way to the finance manager, with the long form only to have lied about their income and their credit score. Thus why they get that out of the way at the beginning so they dont waste both parties time showing you the amg s63 when you're more in a base model c300 budget.
That fits the old "buyers are liars" adage. It is massively prevalent believe it or not.
There's also the people who are perfectly happy with whatever deal and car they got. Not everyone cares if they left a few bucks on the table if they are treated courteously.
 

bowtiejunkie

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What are these Smart cars actually selling for? Chopping $4k off a $9k price seems out of the ream of reality, unless the $9k is high as a kite.

I'm sure dealers could care less about "cash". They'd rather you finance the vehicle and not deal with taking in stacks of $20s or $100s.
 

Spudsbud

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RDP word of mouth referrals, good or bad. Worth their weight in gold.
 

was thatguy

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I always do my homework, have financing set up, and look for the most frequent member of the salesman of the month club. Find the guy that makes the deals and doesn't play games. It's pretty simple.

Never play the game of a sales guy going to the back to consult with the sales manager. 1st time they try that, I'm up and heading for the door.

Never wait for a sales guy to go to his manager. Tell him to bring the manager out to you as you ain't got time. Get up to leave to make your point.

This is a deal that requires blunt and up front talk. Never worry about appearing rude. It's your money they are trying to snooker out of your pocket.

I didn’t even have to ask at Sullivan.
Theo brought the owner out to me as soon as he saw I was serious.
The owner was the one who scanned the Camry.
I told him the passenger door had been reskinned and he already had the Carfax up on his phone.
He told me “it’s a clean Carfax so you don’t have to tell people that, but I would, and I’m glad you told me. It says your honest.”

Thruthfully, I probably wouldn’t have got $9K private party selling the Camry fully detailed.
They gave me $10K without it even being clean or vacuumed.
Normally I spend a full day detailing anything I sell or trade.
 

Ziggy

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What are these Smart cars actually selling for? Chopping $4k off a $9k price seems out of the ream of reality, unless the $9k is high as a kite.

I'm sure dealers could care less about "cash". They'd rather you finance the vehicle and not deal with taking in stacks of $20s or $100s.
Cash is not king at most car stores, period. Most will give better deal on a financed car because that's where much of the profit comes from, not the actual sale. Factory finance specials also dig into a dealers profit.
 

was thatguy

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Dealers hate cash in my experience...not that I’ve ever had that much cash to offer them!
 

musicFunsun

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Only good experience I’ve ever had but a car was at Tim’s Toyota in Preskit! Looking at 4 Runners in 1998 or 99, they made a copy of my drivers license and said “take it home, keep it overnight!” Being a CA native, this was unheard of plus we told them we live on a dirt road! Course we ended up buying it!
 

Yellowboat

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Cash is not king at most car stores, period. Most will give better deal on a financed car because that's where much of the profit comes from, not the actual sale. Factory finance specials also dig into a dealers profit.
Yep, at the end of 2014. I bough my mom the suv she wanted. I was paying cash, but got 3k better price if I went thru financing and made 1 payment. It was stupid.
 
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