[OT] I hate car dealerships...

[Paradoxish]

Well, lately I've been spending a lot of time at car dealerships. Recently, a friend of mine, who really doesn't know much about cars and isn't particularly good at negotiating, wanted me to come along to help him get a new used car since his old Pontiac LeMans exploded on him a few months ago. He had around $5000 to spend and wasn't interested in financing. Despite being incredibly clear about this at each dealership we went to, the salespeople would still argue (sometimes for over an hour) to get him to take out a loan on a newer car with a $5000 down payment. And that's not even to mention the fact that they constantly badgered me to trade-in my car, even after we were clear that I was not the one looking for a new car. All in all, it was pretty frustrating. I was hoping things would be better when I started looking for a new car for myself. Damn, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I currently drive an '02 Nissan Maxima SE 6-spd and I've been looking at new (or 1 or 2 year old) Audis, Infinitis, and BMWs. I've been saving for a while and plan to put down between $6-8k on top of my trade-in, so I figured that I wouldn't have much trouble at dealerships despite my age. Well, I've been snubbed at almost every dealership I've been to today. It was a struggle to convince the Audi salesperson to even let me test drive an A4 and the guy at the BMW dealership looked genuinely shocked that I could actually afford to finance the car I was looking at. About the only place where I wasn't totally blown off was the Nissan dealership I stopped by, but there I was heavily pressured to buy a 350Z - even though I told the salesperson over and over again I wasn't interested in a two-door (even though I loooove that car).

Overall, this has been an incredibly unpleasant day. Has anyone else had similiar experiences with new car purchases? Any advice?

 

[BV210]

My advice - avoid dealerships. Auto auctions are the way to go. I go to church with a guy who is a licensed dealer on the side. He goes to auto auctions with a "menu" of choices from customers and buys cars that match up. Through him, I now drive a 2000 Ford Explorer XLT, loaded, still under warranty. The best thing, including his fee, it cost me $13,500. Blue book was $18,500. So, skip the local dealers, find an independent dealer you can trust and have him (or her) get what you want at an auction.

 

[Claude Raines]

I'm don't really have any advice for you but I do understand your frustration. The only thing I can say is buy a Saturn. They are the only dealer that has ever treated me with respect, listened to what I was willing to spend and stayed within it, and didn't treat me as a schmoe to be taken advantage of.

When my fiance went to buy a truck from Dodge (Ontario Dodge in California - NEVER buy from them), we had all sorts of problems. We bought the truck for $20,000 with 0 down/0% financing. Three days later they called us and told us that the loan wasn't bought by their parent company because we weren't approved for this amount at 0/0. Instead we had to come in and pay an additional $1000 immediately if we wanted to keep the truck. We went in and told them to take the truck back. They wouldn't do it and kept insisting that we immediately pay them some money. They kept insisting that they had the right to change the contract (they didn't) and we didn't. We told them to give us our money back for the lojack that we were to have installed and we would give them the truck back. At that point when they realized we would not give them any money, they told us that they couldn't take the truck back and the original deal was binding (basically they did not want to be stuck with a used vehicle instead of selling it new). So in the end we were stuck with the truck because they couldn't force us to pay the extra money, nor could they legally back out of the contract (although they could rewrite it with our agreement, which is what theywere trying to do). To top it off, they never told their service department about the bedliner, lojack, and towing hitch that was supposed to be installed so when we took the truck back for the work, they did not have the parts.

So really the only advice I have is never waiver on any of your demands, and make sure the loan has been approved before you leave with the car (takes about 30 min - don't believe anything else they say and don't sign until it is approved). Remember once they sign they are as legally bound to the contract as you are. Finally, I suggest finding a place that conducts business like Saturn (no haggling) as these places won't try to rip you off or keep pushing payments higher than you request.

 

[Thresher]

One thing about auctions I never liked was that you didnt really get to check out the car in a lotof detail, most are pretty reputable though and make sure that nothing makes the floor that isnt hot or bent.
But yes, dealerships are bad places full of some very slimy and stupid people that will probably get their own special spot in hell for crimes against humanity. Then theres the 2nd hand places that take it to a whole new lower level.

Finding someone that can get you a new (or 2nd hand) car for a good price is almost as risky unless you know them personally, but unlike the dealerships theres a few of them out there that do a good job and it might be worth your time to see if anyone you know, knows one. I dont really recommend private sales either, as a whole most people dont maintain their cars very well so even that nice straight car that was owned by someones old mum in the burbs might look alright, chances are old mum didnt know what oil or water was.
Still, if you can find a private sale for a reasonable price and has log books with receipts for regular servicing then by all means give it serious consideration.

But firstly, it really dosent sound like your friend knows what he wants, so, its time to go out and have a look at some cars on the internet or in reveiws of car magazines rather than getting flat feet tramping from one end of town to another. Know what you want to buy, not what some shonk tells you and it will save a lot of time in the end, even if that means you have have to wait a little while until the car you'd like shows up somewhere.

Dont forsake the 2-door Nissans mate, the turbo ones are more fun than anything else out there

 

[Number47]

I now have great respect for Honda and Volkswagen, too. They both really worked with me, not worked me over. VW even fought for a better interest rate for me after I had already agreed to the first interest rate offered.

 

[Utrecht]

The biggest thing with dealerships is that you have to be willing to walk away. If you tell them something and they choose to ignore it - simly tell them that the conversation is over and start to walk away. Generally, this brings them to reality. If they ignore the warning I walk.

That being said, look at some of the non-traditional options like Brokers and mentally set what you limit is gonig to be (cost, options etc) before entering the dealership. If they go over - walk - since they are motivated to sell a car RIGHT NOW, the idea that a customer would simply leave it anathem to then and the good ones will understand your earnestness. The bozos, well, a clown is a clown......

 

[Utrecht]

Finally, I suggest finding a place that conducts business like Saturn (no haggling) as these places won't try to rip you off or keep pushing payments higher than you request.

Please don't believe this - their is ALWAYS haggling - even at no haggling dealers. (they call it price matching or a good customer discount or something like this - but it really is haggling)

Further, those companies that advertise no haggling will typically charge more for a car and offer less for a trade in. They recognize that people are willing to pay more/accept less to be harassed less.

If however, you are willing to put up with harrassment - no haggle dealers are overpriced.

 

[Paradoxish]

I now have great respect for Honda and Volkswagen, too. They both really worked with me, not worked me over. VW even fought for a better interest rate for me after I had already agreed to the first interest rate offered.

Although Honda doesn't have any vehicles that interest me right now, I should looking into VW. I've heard good things about their dealerships, but it keeps slipping my mind to try out a Passat W8.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Another thing about no haggle no hassle buying, Saturn makes a larger margin on their cars on average than other dealerships do on omparable models, so you are not getting the deal you think you are. I know Car Max works with no hssle buyin as well, but I have not compared/researched their pricing.

 

[The Grey Dwarf]

Talking about frustration ...

How much is a Passat W8 worth in the US? (approx. - new)

I'd like to compare with the prices here.
I've got a nasty feeling about that.