Comments | synn: Rant.

synn

Rant.

Jul 12, 2011 17:51

dear car dealers,
If you don't bother to read my emails, why would I want to do business with you?
"I want OTD pricing" does not mean I want you just to give me the MSRP on the vehicle and nothing else.
"I have test driven the vehicle already" does not mean you should invite me to the dealership to test drive the vehicle (which, by the way, none of ( Read more... )

Comments 5

_orchid_ July 12 2011, 23:53:19 UTC

Argh. I am sorry about all that! Mom had similar (though less digital) problems when she was getting a car in the mid '90s. One salesman seemed to think that "I do not want X car" meant "I think you should show me X car and encourage me to test drive it (probably because I am a woman here with my kid)." We left pretty soon after that--like as soon as possible. We've also got a dealership in town that had a practice (at least used to) of taking people's car keys when they showed up to test-drive cars and making it very hard to get them back again until you agreed to buy a car from them.

Sorry these people aren't listening--but it sounds like not *all* of them are being dense! 10% response rate should be enough to get the car!

synn July 15 2011, 01:04:18 UTC

gah. yeah, it's ridiculous. thanks

I haven't tried the local AAA, thanks for the tip : )

_orchid_ July 12 2011, 23:57:51 UTC

FWIW: do you have a local AAA? They can negotiate car prices (and they are *often good at it*) and it could make your life easier. Mom was very impressed with our first experience with them--less so with the second, but it's worth a shot!

It does depend on who you're working with in the AAA office, of course. :)

bironic July 13 2011, 02:08:57 UTC

4 out of 5 dealerships I contacted, either independently or through the Consumer Reports Build & Buy feature, did exactly what you describe - form letters, attempts to call, irrelevant information, invitations to test drive, 'when can you come in to discuss/buy.' I ignored. The emails are still coming in.

It was the ones who responded promptly and relevantly who I dealt with. I hope you get at least one of those.

Are you looking at 2011 models or 2012? If 2011, that might be why no one is helping you with models that aren't on their lots.

synn July 15 2011, 01:05:36 UTC

Yeah, one or two.

I'm looking mainly at 2011, but if I have to order it built to spec, may end up having to order 2012. I said in the email it didn't matter which, but since there's no info out yet on the 2012 version of either, I don't know how it might affect pricing.